Zloboha  in  Dobrunka's  Clothes 


Page  192 


CZECHOSLOVAK 
FAIRY  TALES 


RETOLD   BY 

PARKER   FILLMORE 


WITH  ILLUSTRATIONS  AND  DECORATIONS 
BY 

JAN    MATULKA 


NEW  YORK 
HARCOURT,  BRACE  AND  COMPANY 


87798 


COPYRIGHT,     1919,    BY 
PARKER  FILLMORB 


PRINTED    IN    TH«    U.  8     A     BY 


MISS   MARJORIE   RAHLSON 


NOTE 

THIS  rendering  of  some  of  the  old  Czechoslovak  tales 
is  not  offered  as  a  literal  translation  or  a  scholarly 
translation.  I  have  retold  the  stories  in  a  way  that  I 
hope  will  please  American  children.  I  have  tried 
hard  to  keep  the  flavor  of  the  originals  but  have  taken 
the  liberty  of  a  short  cut  here  and  an  elaboration  there 
wherever  these  have  seemed  to  me  to  make  the  English 
version  clearer  and  more  interesting. 

I  have  gone  to  Czech,  Slovakian,  and  Moravian 
sources.  All  these  stories  appear  in  many  versions 
in  the  different  folklore  collections  made  by  such  native 
writers  as  Erben,  Nemcova,  Dobsinsky,  Rimavsky, 
Benes-Trebizsky,  Kulda.  They  represent  the  folk-tale 
in  all  stages  of  its  development  from  the  bald  narrative 
of  The  Bird  with  the  Golden  Gizzard  which  Kulda  re- 
ports with  phonographic  exactness,  to  Nemcova's  more 
elaborate  tale,  Prince  Bayaya,  which  is  really  a  mosaic 
of  two  or  three  simpler  stories.  I  have  included 
Katcha  and  the  Devil  for  the  sake  of  its  keen  humor, 
which  is  particularly  Czech  in  character ;  The  Betrothal 
Gifts  to  show  how  a  story  common  to  other  countries 
is  made  most  charmingly  local  by  giving  it  a  local 


NOTE 

background;  The  Three  Golden  Hairs  to  contrast  it 
with  a  famous  German  variant  which  it  seems  to  me 
is  much  inferior  to  the  Slavic  version;  and  several  fine 
stories  of  the  prince  gone  off  on  adventures  which 
in  common  with  the  folk-tales  of  all  Europe  show  a 
strong  Oriental  influence. 

In  the  transliteration  of  proper  names  I  have  not 
followed  consistently  any  one  method,  but  for  each  in- 
dividual name  have  made  what  seemed  to  be  the  best 
selection  from  the  various  possible  spellings.  Until 
transliteration  from  the  Slavic  languages  has  become 
standardized  this,  I  am  sure,  is  permissible  and  even 
advisable. 

In  the  preparation  of  this  volume  I  have  made 
heavy  draughts  upon  the  scholarship  and  patience  of 
my  Czech  friends,  Mrs.  Jan  Matulka  and  Mr.  Vla- 
dimir Jelinek.  I  beg  them  to  accept  my  thanks.  I 
am  also  deeply  grateful  to  Mr.  A.  B.  Koukol,  who  did 
me  the  favor  of  reading  the  final  sheets.  Lastly  I  wish 
to  express  my  appreciation  of  the  Webster  Branch  of 
the  New  York  Public  Library,  which  has  gathered 
together  what  is  probably  the  most  complete  collection 
of  Czechoslovak  literature  in  America,  and  one  par- 
ticularly rich  in  folklore  and  children's  books. 

P  F 

August,  1919 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

LONGSHANKS,  GIRTH,  AND  KEEN:  The  Story  of  Three  Won- 
derful Serving  Men 1 

THE  THREE  GOLDEN  HAIRS:  The  Story  of  a  Charcoal-Burner's 

Son  Who  Married  a  Princess       .        ...        .        .        .       21 

THE  FLAMING  HORSE  :  The  Story  of  a  Country  Where  the  Sun 

Never  Shines 41 

THE  THREE  CITRONS:  The  Story  of  a  Prince  Who  Climbed  the 

Glass  Hill 55 

PRINCE  BAYAYA:  The  Story  of  a  Magic  Horse  ....  77 
^ATCHA  AND  THE  DEVIL:  The  Story  of  a  Clinging  Vine  .  .  99 
THE  BETROTHAL  GIFTS:  The  Story  of  Kubik  and  the  Frog  .  113 
GRANDFATHER'S  EYES:  The  Story  of  Three  Wicked  Yezinkas  129 
RATTLE-RATTLE-RATTLE  AND  CHINK-CHINK-CHINK:  The 

Story  of  Long  Beard,  the  Dwarf,  and  the  Two  Sisters    .     141 
be 


x  CONTENTS 

THE  BIRD  WITH  THE  GOLDEN  GIZZARD:  The  Story  of  Two 


PAGE 


Brothers 155 

THE  WOOD  MAIDEN  :  The  Story  of  Betushka  and  the  Golden 

Birch  Leaves 168 

THE  GOLDEN  SPINNING-WHEEL:  The  Story  of  King  Dobromil 
/      and  the  Good  Dobrunka       .        .        .        .        .        .        .177 

^/THE  GOLDEN  GODMOTHER:  The  Story  of  Poor  Lukas       .        .  205 
THE  GOLDEN  DUCK:  The  Story  of  Prince  Raduz  and  the 

Faithful  Ludmila 219 

THE  STORY  THAT  NEVER  ENDS         .        .        .  241 


FULL-PAGE   ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Zloboha  in  Dobrunka's  Clothes Frontispiece 

MHisic  Played 72 

When  the  Boys  Had  Grown  into  Handsome  Youths         .        .        80 

Kubik  Greeting  His  Old  Father 126 

Alike  in  Feature  but  Utterly  Different  in  Disposition       .        .179 


LONGSHANKS,  GIRTH,  AND  KEEN 

THE  STORY  OF  THREE  WONDERFUL  SERVING  MEN 


LONGSHANKS,  GIRTH,  AND  KEEN 

THERE  was  once  an  aged  king  who  had  an  only 
son.  One  day  he  called  the  prince  to  him  and 
said:  "My  dear  son,  you  know  that  ripe  fruit  falls  in 
order  to  make  room  for  other  fruit.  This  my  old  head 
is  like  ripe  fruit  and  soon  the  sun  will  no  longer  shine 
upon  it.  Now  before  I  die  I  should  like  to  see  you 
happily  married.  Get  you  a  wife,  my  son." 

"  I  would,  my  father,  that  I  could  please  you  in 
this,"  the  prince  answered,  "  but  I  know  of  no  one  who 
would  make  you  a  worthy  daughter-in-law." 

The  old  king  reached  into  his  pocket,  drew  out  a 
golden  key,  and  handed  it  to  the  prince.  He  said: 

"  Go  up  into  the  tower  to  the  very  top.  There 
look  about  you  and  when  you  have  decided  what  you 
like  best  of  all  you  see,  come  back  and  tell  me." 

The  prince  took  the  key  and  at  once  mounted  the 
tower.  He  had  never  before  gone  to  the  very  top 
and  he  had  never  heard  what  was  there.  He  went  up 
and  up  until  at  last  he  saw  a  small  iron  door  in  the 

s 


4  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

ceiling.  He  opened  this  with  the  golden  key,  pushed 
it  back,  and  entered  a  large  circular  hall.  The  ceiling 
was  blue  and  silver  like  the  heavens  on  a  bright  night 
when  the  stars  shine,  and  the  floor  was  covered  with  a 
green  silken  carpet.  There  were  twelve  tall  windows 
set  in  gold  frames,  and  on  the  crystal  glass  of  each 
window  a  beautiful  young  girl  was  pictured  in  glow- 
ing colors.  Every  one  of  them  was  a  princess  with  a 
royal  crown  upon  her  head.  As  the  prince  looked  at 
them  it  seemed  to  him  that  each  was  more  lovely  than 
the  last,  and  for  the  life  of  him  he  knew  not  which 
was  the  loveliest.  Then  they  began  to  move  as  if  alive, 
and  they  smiled  at  the  prince  and  nodded,  and  looked 
as  if  they  were  about  to  speak. 

Suddenly  the  prince  noticed  that  one  of  the  twelve 
windows  was  covered  with  a  white  curtain.  He  pulled 
the  curtain  aside  and  there  without  any  question  was 
the  most  beautiful  princess  of  them  all,  clothed  in  pure 
white,  with  a  silver  girdle  and  a  crown  of  pearls.  Her 
face  was  deathly  pale  and  sad  as  the  grave. 

For  a  long  time  the  prince  stood  before  this  picture 
in  utter  amazement  and  as  he  looked  at  it  a  pain 
seemed  to  enter  his  heart. 

"  This  one  I  want  for  my  bride,"  he  said  aloud, 
"this  one  and  no  other." 


LONGSHANKS,  GIRTH,  AND  KEEN  6 

At  these  words  the  maiden  bowed,  flushed  like  a 
rose,  and  then  instantly  all  the  pictures  disappeared. 

When  the  prince  told  his  father  what  he  had  seen 
and  which  maiden  he  had  chosen,  the  old  king  was 
greatly  troubled. 

"  My  son,"  he  said,  "  you  did  ill  to  uncover  what 
was  covered  and  in  declaring  this,  your  choice,  you 
have  exposed  yourself  to  a  great  danger.  This  maiden 
is  in  the  power  of  a  black  magician  who  holds  her 
captive  in  an  iron  castle.  Of  all  who  have  gone  to 
rescue  her  not  one  has  ever  returned.  However,  what's 
done  is  done  and  you  have  given  your  word.  Go,  then, 
try  what  fortune  has  in  store  for  you,  and  may  Heaven 
bring  you  back  safe  and  sound." 

So  the  prince  bade  his  father  farewell,  mounted  his 
horse,  and  rode  forth  to  find  his  bride.  His  first  ad- 
venture was  to  lose  his  way  in  a  deep  forest.  He 
wandered  about  some  time  not  knowing  where  to  turn 
when  suddenly  he  was  hailed  from  behind  with  these 
words : 

"  Hey,  there,  master,  wait  a  minute ! " 

He  looked  around  and  saw  a  tall  man  running 
toward  him. 

"  Take  me  into  your  service,  master,"  the  tall  man 
said.  "  If  you  do  you  won't  regret  it." 


6  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

"  What  is  your  name,"  the  prince  asked,  "  and 
what  can  you  do?" 

"  People  call  me  Longshanks  because  I  can  stretch 
myself  out.  I'll  show  you.  Do  you  see  a  bird's  nest  in 
the  top  of  that  tall  fir?  I'll  get  it  down  for  you 
and  not  by  climbing  the  tree  either." 

So  saying  he  began  to  stretch  out  and  his  body 
shot  up  and  up  until  he  was  as  tall  as  the  fir  tree. 
He  reached  over  and  got  the  nest  and  then,  in  a  shorter 
time  than  it  had  taken  him  to  stretch  out,  he  reduced 
himself  to  his  natural  size. 

"You  do  your  trick  very  well,"  the  prince  said, 
"  but  just  now  a  bird's  nest  isn't  of  much  use  to  me. 
What  I  need  is  some  one  to  show  me  the  way  out 
of  this  forest." 

"  H'm,"  Longshanks  said,  "  that's  an  easy  enough 
matter." 

Again  he  began  to  stretch  himself  up  and  up  and 
up  until  he  was  three  times  as  tall  as  the  highest  pine 
in  the  forest.  He  looked  around  and  said:  "Over 
there,  in  that  direction,  is  the  nearest  way  out." 

Then  he  made  himself  small  again,  took  the  horse 
by  the  bridle,  walked  ahead,  and  in  a  short  time  they 
emerged  from  the  forest. 

A  broad  plain  stretched  out  before  them  and  be- 


LONGSHANKS,  GIRTH,  AND  KEEN  7 

yond  it  they  could  see  tall  gray  rocks  that  looked  like 
the  walls  of  a  great  city  and  mountains  overgrown 
with  forests. 

Longshanks  pointed  off  across  the  plain  and  said: 
"  There,  master,  goes  a  comrade  of  mine  who  would 
be  very  useful  to  you.  You  ought  to  take  him  into 
your  service  too." 

"  Very  well,"  said  the  prince,  "  call  him  here  that 
I  may  find  out  what  sort  of  a  fellow  he  is." 

"  He  is  too  far  away  to  call,"  Longshanks  said. 
"  He  wouldn't  hear  my  voice  and  if  he  did  he  would 
be  a  long  time  in  reaching  us,  for  he  has  much  to 
carry.  I  had  better  step  over  and  get  him  myself." 

As  he  said  this,  Longshanks  stretched  out  and 
out  until  his  head  was  lost  in  the  clouds.  He  took 
two  or  three  strides,  reached  his  comrade,  set  him  on 
his  shoulder,  and  brought  him  to  the  prince. 

The  new  man  was  heavily  built  and  round  as  a 
barrel. 

"Who  are  you?"  the  prince  asked.  "And  what 
can  you  do? " 

"  I  am  called  Girth,"  the  man  said.  "  I  can  widen 
myself." 

"  Let  me  see  you  do  it,"  the  prince  said. 

"  Very  well,  master,"  said  Girth,  beginning  to  puff 


8  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

out,  "  I  will.    But  take  care!    Ride  off  into  the  forest 
as  fast  as  you  can!" 

The  prince  did  not  understand  the  warning,  but  he 
saw  that  Longshanks  was  in  full  flight,  so  he  spurred 
his  horse  and  galloped  after  him. 

*  It  was  just  as  well  he  did,  for  in  another  moment 
Girth  would  have  crushed  both  him  and  his  horse, 
so  fast  did  he  spread  out,  so  huge  did  he  become.  In 
a  short  time  he  filled  the  whole  plain  until  it  looked 
as  though  a  mountain  had  fallen  upon  it. 

When  the  plain  was  entirely  covered,  he  stopped 
expanding,  heaved  a  deep  breath  that  shook  the  forest 
trees,  and  returned  to  his  natural  size. 

"  You  made  me  run  for  my  life! "  the  prince  said. 
"  I  tell  you  I  don't  meet  a  fellow  like  you  every 
day!  By  all  means  join  me." 

They  went  across  the  plain  and  as  they  neared 
the  rocks  they  met  a  man  whose  eyes  were  bandaged 
with  a  handkerchief. 

"  Master,"  said  Longshanks,  "  there  is  my  other 
comrade.  Take  him  into  your  service,  too,  and  I  can 
tell  you  you  won't  regret  the  bread  he  eats." 

"  Who  are  you?  "  the  prince  asked.  "  And  why  do 
you  keep  your  eyes  bandaged?  You  can't  see  where 
you're  going." 


LONGSHANKS,  GIRTH,  AND  KEEN  9 

"  On  the  contrary,  master,  it  is  just  because  I  see 
too  well  that  I  have  to  bandage  my  eyes.  With 
bandaged  eyes  I  see  as  well  as  other  people  whose 
eyes  are  uncovered.  When  I  take  the  handkerchief 
off,  my  sight  is  so  keen  it  goes  straight  through  every- 
thing. When  I  look  at  anything  intently  it  catches 
fire,  and  if  it  can't  burn,  it  crumbles  to  pieces.  On 
account  of  my  sight  I'm  called  Keen." 

He  untied  the  handkerchief,  turned  to  one  of  the 
rocks  opposite,  and  gazed  at  it  with  glowing  eyes. 
Soon  the  rock  began  to  crumble  and  fall  to  pieces. 
In  a  few  moments  it  was  reduced  to  a  heap  of  sand. 
In  the  sand  something  gleamed  like  fire.  Keen  picked 
it  up  and  handed  it  to  the  prince.  It  was  a  lump  of 
pure  gold. 

"  Ha,  ha!  "  said  the  prince.  "  You  are  a  fine  fellow 
and  worth  more  than  wages!  I  should  be  a  fool  not 
to  take  you  into  my  service.  Since  you  have  such 
keen  eyes,  look  and  tell  me  how  much  farther  it  is 
to  the  Iron  Castle  and  what  is  happening  there  now." 

"  If  you  rode  there  alone,"  Keen  answered,  "  you 
might  get  there  within  a  year,  but  with  us  to  help 
you,  you  will  arrive  this  very  day.  Our  coming  is 
not  unexpected,  either,  for  at  this  very  moment  they 
are  preparing  supper  for  us." 


10  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

"  What  is  the  captive  princess  doing?  " 

"  She  is  sitting  on  a  high  tower  behind  an  iron  grat- 
ing. The  magician  stands  on  guard." 

"  If  you  are  real  men,"  the  prince  cried,  "  you 
will  all  help  me  to  free  her." 

The  three  comrades  promised  they  would. 

They  led  the  prince  straight  through  the  gray  rocks 
by  a  defile  which  Keen  made  with  his  eyes,  and  on 
and  on  through  high  mountains  and  deep  forests. 
Whatever  obstacle  was  in  the  way  one  or  another  of 
the  three  comrades  was  able  to  remove  it. 

By  late  afternoon  they  had  crossed  the  last  moun- 
tain, had  left  behind  them  the  last  stretch  of  dark 
forest,  and  they  saw  looming  up  ahead  of  them  the 
Iron  Castle. 

Just  as  the  sun  sank  the  prince  and  his  followers 
crossed  the  drawbridge  and  entered  the  courtyard  gate. 
Instantly  the  drawbridge  lifted  and  the  gate  clanged 
shut. 

They  went  through  the  courtyard  and  the  prince  put 
his  horse  in  the  stable,  where  he  found  a  place  all  in 
readiness.  Then  the  four  of  them  marched  boldly  into 
the  castle. 

Everywhere — in  the  courtyard,  in  the  stables,  and 
now  in  the  various  rooms  of  the  castle — they  saw  great 


LONGSHANKS,  GIRTH,  AND  KEEN  11 

numbers  of  richly  clad  men  all  of  whom,  masters  and 
servants  alike,  had  been  turned  to  stone. 

They  went  on  from  one  room  to  another  until  they 
reached  the  banquet  hall.  This  was  brilliantly  lighted 
and  the  table,  with  food  and  drink  in  abundance,  was 
set  for  four  persons.  They  waited,  expecting  some 
one  to  appear,  but  no  one  came.  At  last,  overpowered 
by  hunger,  they  sat  down  and  ate  and  drank  most 
heartily. 

After  supper  they  began  to  look  about  for  a  place 
to  sleep.  It  was  then  without  warning  that  the  doors 
burst  open  and  the  magician  appeared.  He  was  a  bent 
old  man  with  a  bald  head  and  a  gray  beard  that 
reached  to  his  knees.  He  was  dressed  in  a  long  black 
robe  and  he  had,  instead  of  a  belt,  three  iron  bands 
about  his  waist. 

He  led  in  a  beautiful  lady  dressed  in  white  with 
a  silver  girdle  and  a  crown  of  pearls.  Her  face  was 
deathly  pale  and  as  sad  as  the  grave.  The  prince 
recognized  her  instantly  and  sprang  forward  to  meet 
her.  Before  he  could  speak,  the  magician  raised  his 
hand  and  said: 

"  I  know  why  you  have  come.  It  is  to  carry  off 
this  princess.  Very  well,  take  her.  If  you  can  guard 
her  for  three  nights  so  that  she  won't  escape  you,  she 


12  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

is  yours.  But  if  she  escapes  you,  then  you  and  your 
men  will  suffer  the  fate  of  all  those  who  have  come 
before  you  and  be  turned  into  stone." 

Then  when  he  had  motioned  the  princess  to  a  seat, 
he  turned  and  left  the  hall. 

The  prince  could  not  take  his  eyes  from  the  princess, 
she  was  so  beautiful.  He  tried  to  talk  to  her,  asking 
her  many  questions,  but  she  made  him  no  answer.  She 
might  have  been  marble  the  way  she  never  smiled  and 
never  looked  at  any  of  them. 

He  seated  himself  beside  her,  determined  to  stay  all 
night  on  guard  in  order  to  prevent  her  escape.  For 
greater  security  Longshanks  stretched  himself  out  on 
the  floor  like  a  strap  and  wound  himself  around  the 
room  the  whole  length  of  the  wall.  Girth  sat  in  the 
doorway  and  puffed  himself  out  until  he  filled  that 
space  so  completely  that  not  even  a  mouse  could  slip 
through.  Keen  took  his  place  by  a  pillar  in  the  middle 
of  the  hall. 

But,  alas,  in  a  few  moments  they  all  grew  heavy 
with  drowsiness  and  in  the  end  slept  soundly  all  night 
long. 

In  the  morning  in  the  early  dawn  the  prince  awoke 
and  with  a  pain  in  his  heart  that  was  like  a  blow  from 
a  dagger,  he  saw  that  the  princess  was  gone.  Instantly 


LONGSHANKS,  GIRTH,  AND  KEEN  13 

he  aroused  his  men  and  asked  them  what  was  to  be 
done. 

"  It's  all  right,  master,  don't  worry,"  said  Keen  as 
he  took  a  long  look  through  the  window.  "I  see  her 
now.  A  hundred  miles  from  here  is  a  forest,  in  the 
midst  of  the  forest  an  ancient  oak,  on  the  top  of  the 
oak  an  acorn.  The  princess  is  that  acorn.  Let  Long- 
shanks  take  me  on  his  shoulders  and  we'll  go  get  her." 

Longshanks  picked  Keen  up,  stretched  himself  out, 
and  set  forth.  He  took  ten  miles  at  a  stride  and  in 
the  time  it  would  take  you  or  me  to  run  around  a 
cottage,  here  he  was  back  again  with  the  acorn  in  his 
hand.  He  gave  it  to  the  prince. 

"Drop  it,  master,  on  the  floor." 

The  prince  dropped  the  acorn  and  instantly  the 
princess  appeared. 

As  the  sun  came  over  the  mountain  tops  the  doors 
slammed  open  and  the  magician  entered.  A  crafty 
smile  was  on  his  face.  But  when  he  saw  the  princess 
the  smile  changed  to  a  scowl,  he  growled  in  rage,  and 
bang!  one  of  the  iron  bands  about  his  waist  burst 
asunder.  Then  he  took  the  princess  by  the  hand  and 
dragged  her  off. 

That  whole  day  the  prince  had  nothing  to  do  but 
wander  about  the  castle  and  look  at  all  the  strange 


14  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

and  curious  things  it  contained.  It  seemed  as  if  at 
some  one  instant  all  life  had  been  arrested.  In  one 
hall  he  saw  a  prince  who  had  been  turned  into  stone 
while  he  was  brandishing  his  sword.  The  sword  was 
still  uplifted.  In  another  room  there  was  a  stone 
knight  who  was  taken  in  the  act  of  flight.  He  had 
stumbled  on  the  threshold  but  he  had  not  yet  fallen. 
A  serving  man  sat  under  the  chimney  eating  his  sup- 
per. With  one  hand  he  was  reaching  a  piece  of  roast 
meat  to  his  mouth.  Days,  months,  perhaps  years  had 
gone  by,  but  the  meat  had  not  yet  touched  his  lips. 
There  were  many  others,  all  of  them  still  in  whatever 
position  they  happened  to  be  when  the  magician  had 
cried:  "  Be  ye  turned  into  stone!  " 

In  the  courtyard  and  the  stables  the  prince  found 
many  fine  horses  overtaken  by  the  same  fate. 

Outside  the  castle  everything  was  equally  dead  and 
silent.  There  were  trees  but  they  had  no  leaves,  there 
was  a  river  but  it  didn't  flow,  and  no  fish  could  live 
in  its  waters.  There  wasn't  a  singing  bird  anywhere, 
and  there  wasn't  even  one  tiny  flower. 

In  the  morning,  at  noon,  and  at  supper-time  the 
prince  and  his  companions  found  a  rich  feast  prepared 
for  them.  Unseen  hands  served  them  food  and  poured 
them  wine. 


LONGSHANKS,  GIRTH,  AND  KEEN  15 

Then  after  supper,  as  on  the  preceding  night,  the 
doors  burst  open  and  the  magician  led  in  the  princess, 
whom  he  handed  over  to  the  prince  to  guard  for  the 
second  night. 

Of  course  the  prince  and  his  men  determined  to 
fight  off  drowsiness  this  time  with  all  their  strength. 
But  in  spite  of  this  determination  again  they  fell 
asleep.  At  dawn  the  prince  awoke  and  saw  that  the 
princess  was  gone. 

He  jumped  up  and  shook  Keen  by  the  shoulder. 

"Wake  up,  Keen,  wake  up!  Where  is  the  prin- 
cess?" 

Keen  rubbed  his  eyes,  took  one  look  out  of  the 
window,  and  said: 

"  There,  I  see  her.  Two  hundred  miles  from  here 
is  a  mountain,  in  the  mountain  is  a  rock,  in  the  rock  a 
precious  stone.  That  stone  is  the  princess.  If  Long- 
shanks  will  carry  me  over  there  we'll  get  her." 

Longshanks  put  Keen  on  his  shoulder,  stretched 
himself  out  until  he  was  able  to  go  twenty  miles  at  a 
stride,  and  off  he  went.  Keen  fixed  his  glowing  eyes 
on  the  mountain  and  the  mountain  crumbled.  Then 
the  rock  that  was  inside  the  mountain  broke  into  a 
thousand  pieces  and  there  was  the  precious  stone  glit- 
tering among  the  pieces. 


10  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

They  picked  it  up  and  carried  it  back  to  the  prince. 
As  soon  as  he  dropped  it  on  the  floor  the  princess  re- 
appeared. 

When  the  magician  came  in  and  found  her  there,  his 
eyes  sparkled  with  anger,  and  bang!  the  second  of  his 
iron  bands  cracked  and  burst  asunder.  Rumbling  and 
growling  he  led  the  princess  away. 

That  day  passed  as  the  day  before.  After  supper 
the  magician  brought  back  the  princess  and,  looking 
fiercely  at  the  prince,  he  sneered  and  said:  "Now 
we'll  see  who  wins,  you  or  I." 

This  night  the  prince  and  his  men  tried  harder  than 
ever  to  stay  awake.  They  didn't  even  allow  themselves 
to  sit  down  but  kept  walking.  All  in  vain.  One  after 
another  they  fell  asleep  on  their  feet  and  again  the 
princess  escaped. 

In  the  morning  the  prince,  as  usual,  was  the  first  to 
awake.  When  he  saw  the  princess  was  gone,  he 
aroused  Keen. 

"  Wake  up,  Keen! "  he  cried.  "  Look  out  and  tell 
me  where  the  princess  is." 

This  time  Keen  had  to  look  long  before  he  saw  her. 

"  Master,  she  is  far  away.  Three  hundred  miles 
from  here  there  is  a  black  sea.  At  the  bottom  of  that 
sea  is  a  shell.  In  that  shell  is  a  golden  ring.  That  ring 


LONGSHANKS,  GIRTH,  AND  KEEN  17 

is  the  princess.  But  don't  be  worried,  master,  we'll 
get  her.  This  time  let  Longshanks  take  Girth  as  well 
as  me,  for  we  may  need  him." 

So  Longshanks  put  Keen  on  one  shoulder  and 
Girth  on  the  other.  Then  he  stretched  himself  out 
until  he  was  able  to  cover  thirty  miles  at  a  stride. 
When  they  reached  the  black  sea  Keen  showed  Long- 
shanks  where  to  reach  down  in  the  water  for  the 
shell.  Longshanks  reached  down  as  far  as  he  could 
but  not  far  enough  to  touch  bottom. 

"  Wait,  comrades,  wait  a  bit,"  said  Girth.  "  Now 
it's  my  turn  to  help." 

With  that  he  puffed  himself  out  and  out  as  far  as 
he  could.  Then  he  lay  down  on  the  beach  and  began 
drinking  up  the  sea.  He  drank  it  in  such  great  gulps 
that  soon  Longshanks  was  able  to  reach  bottom  and 
to  get  the  shell.  Longshanks  took  out  the  ring  and 
then,  putting  his  comrades  on  his  shoulders,  started 
back  for  the  castle.  He  was  not  able  to  go  fast,  for 
Girth,  with  half  the  sea  in  his  stomach,  was  very  heavy. 
At  last  in  desperation  Longshanks  turned  Girth  up- 
side down  and  shook  him  and  instantly  the  great  plain 
upon  which  he  emptied  him  turned  into  a  huge  lake. 
It  was  all  poor  Girth  could  do  to  scramble  out  of  the 
water  and  back  to  Longshanks'  shoulder. 


18  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

Meanwhile  at  the  castle  the  prince  was  awaiting 
his  men  in  great  anxiety.  Morning  was  breaking 
and  still  they  did  not  come.  As  the  first  rays  of  the 
sun  shot  over  the  mountain  tops  the  doors  slammed 
open  and  the  magician  stood  on  the  threshold.  He 
glanced  around  and  when  he  saw  that  the  princess  was 
not  there  he  gave  a  mocking  laugh  and  entered. 

But  at  that  very  instant  there  was  the  crash  of  a 
breaking  window,  a  golden  ring  struck  the  floor,  and 
lo!  the  princess!  Keen  had  seen  in  time  the  danger 
that  was  threatening  the  prince  and  Longshanks  had 
hurled  the  ring  through  the  window. 

The  magician  bellowed  with  rage  until  the  castle 
shook  and  then,  bang!  the  third  iron  band  burst 
asunder  and  from  what  had  once  been  the  magician  a 
black  crow  arose  and  flew  out  of  the  broken  window 
and  was  never  seen  again. 

Instantly  the  beautiful  princess  blushed  like  a  rose 
and  was  able  to  speak  and  to  thank  the  prince  for 
delivering  her. 

Everything  in  the  castle  came  to  life.  The  prince 
with  the  uplifted  sword  finished  his  stroke  and  put  the 
sword  into  its  scabbard.  The  knight  who  was  stum- 
bling fell  and  jumped  up  holding  his  nose  to  see 
whether  he  still  had  it.  The  serving  man  under  the 


LONGSHANKS,  GIRTH,  AND  KEEN  19 

chimney  put  the  meat  into  his  mouth  and  kept  on 
eating.  And  so  every  one  finished  what  he  had  been 
doing  at  the  moment  of  enchantment.  The  horses, 
too,  came  to  life  and  stamped  and  neighed. 

Around  the  castle  the  trees  burst  into  leaf.  Flow- 
ers covered  the  meadows.  High  in  the  heavens  the 
lark  sang,  and  in  the  flowing  river  there  were  shoals 
of  tiny  fish.  Everything  was  alive  again,  everything 
happy. 

The  knights  who  had  been  restored  to  life  gathered 
in  the  hall  to  thank  the  prince  for  their  deliverance. 
But  the  prince  said  to  them: 

"  You  have  nothing  to  thank  me  for.  If  it  had  not 
been  for  these,  my  three  trusty  servants,  Longshanks, 
Girth,  and  Keen,  I  should  have  met  the  same  fate 
as  you." 

The  prince  set  out  at  once  on  his  journey  home 
with  his  bride  and  his  three  serving  men.  When  he 
reached  home  the  old  king,  who  had  given  him  up  for 
lost,  wept  for  joy  at  his  unexpected  return. 

All  the  knights  whom  the  prince  had  rescued  were 
invited  to  the  wedding  which  took  place  at  once  and 
lasted  for  three  weeks. 

When  it  was  over,  Longshanks,  Girth,  and  Keen 
presented  themselves  to  the  young  king  and  told  him 


20  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

that  they  were  again  going  out  into  the  world  to 
look  for  work.  The  young  king  urged  them  to  stay. 

"  I  will  give  you  everything  you  need  as  long  as 
you  live,"  he  promised  them,  "  and  you  won't  have 
to  exert  yourselves  at  all." 

But  such  an  idle  life  was  not  to  their  liking.  So 
they  took  their  leave  and  started  out  again  and  to 
this  day  they  are  still  knocking  around  somewhere. 


THE  THREE  GOLDEN  HAIRS 

THE  STORY  OF  A   CHARCOAL-BURNER'S  SON 
WHO   MARRIED   A   PRINCESS 


THE  THREE  GOLDEN  HAIRS 

fTlHERE  was  once  a  king  who  took  great  delight 
A  in  hunting.  One  day  he  followed  a  stag  a  great 
distance  into  the  forest.  He  went  on  and  on  until 
he  lost  his  way.  Night  fell  and  the  king  by  happy 
chance  came  upon  a  clearing  where  a  charcoal-burner 
had  a  cottage.  The  king  asked  the  charcoal-burner 
to  lead  him  out  of  the  forest  and  offered  to  pay  him 
handsomely. 

"  I'd  be  glad  to  go  with  you,"  the  charcoal-burner 
said,  "  but  my  wife  is  expecting  the  birth  of  a  child  and 
I  cannot  leave  her.  It  is  too  late  for  you  to  start  out 
alone.  Won't  you  spend  the  night  here?  Lie  down  on 
some  hay  in  the  garret  and  tomorrow  I'll  be  your 
guide." 

The  king  had  to  accept  this  arrangement.  He 
climbed  into  the  garret  and  lay  down  on  the  floor. 
Soon  afterwards  a  son  was  born  to  the  charcoal-burner. 

At  midnight  the  king  noticed  a  strange  light  in 
the  room  below  him.  He  peeped  through  a  chink  in 

23 


24  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

the  boards  and  saw  the  charcoal-burner  asleep,  his  wife 
lying  in  a  dead  faint,  and  three  old  women,  all  in 
white,  standing  over  the  baby,  each  holding  a  lighted 
taper  in  her  hand. 

The  first  old  woman  said :  "  My  gift  to  this  boy  is 
that  he  shall  encounter  great  dangers." 

The  second  said:  "My  gift  to  him  is  that  he  shall 
go  safely  through  them  all,  and  live  long." 

The  third  one  said :  "  And  I  give  him  for  wife  the 
baby  daughter  born  this  night  to  the  king  who  lies 
upstairs  on  the  straw." 

The  three  old  women  blew  out  their  tapers  and 
all  was  quiet.  They  were  the  Fates.  * 

The  king  felt  as  though  a  sword  had  been  thrust 
into  his  heart.  He  lay  awake  till  morning  trying  to 
think  out  some  plan  by  which  he  could  thwart  the 
will  of  the  three  old  Fates. 

When  day  broke  the  child  began  to  cry  and  the 
charcoal-burner  woke  up.  Then  he  saw  that  his  wife 
had  died  during  the  night. 

"  Ah,  my  poor  motherless  child,"  he  cried,  "  what 
shall  I  do  with  you  now?  " 

"  Give  me  the  baby,"  the  king  said.  "  I'll  see  that 
he's  looked  after  properly  and  I'll  give  you  enough 
money  to  keep  you  the  rest  of  your  life." 


THE  THREE  GOLDEN  HAIRS  25 

The  charcoal-burner  was  delighted  with  this  offer 
and  the  king  went  away  promising  to  send  at  once  for 
the  baby. 

A  few  days  later  when  he  reached  his  palace  he 
was  met  with  the  joyful  news  that  a  beautiful  little 
baby  daughter  had  been  born  to  him.  He  asked  the 
time  of  her  birth,  and  of  course  it  was  on  the  very 
night  when  he  saw  the  Fates.  Instead  of  being  pleased 
at  the  safe  arrival  of  the  baby  princess,  the  king 
frowned. 

Then  he  called  one  of  his  stewards  and  said  to  him: 
"  Go  into  the  forest  in  a  direction  that  I  shall  tell 
you.  You  will  find  there  a  cottage  where  a  charcoal- 
burner  lives.  Give  him  this  money  and  get  from  him 
a  little  child.  Take  the  child  and  on  your  way  back 
drown  it.  Do  as  I  say  or  I  shall  have  you  drowned." 

The  steward  went,  found  the  charcoal-burner,  and 
took  the  child.  He  put  it  into  a  basket  and  carried 
it  away.  As  he  was  crossing  a  broad  river  he  dropped 
the  basket  into  the  water. 

"  Goodnight  to  you,  little  son-in-law  that  nobody 
wanted!"  the  king  said  when  he  heard  what  the 
steward  had  done. 

He  supposed  of  course  that  the  baby  was  drowned. 
But  it  wasn't.  Its  little  basket  floated  in  the  water  like 


26  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

a  cradle,  and  the  baby  slept  as  if  the  river  were  sing- 
ing it  a  lullaby.  It  floated  down  with  the  current  past 
a  fisherman's  cottage.  The  fisherman  saw  it,  got  into 
his  boat,  and  went  after  it.  When  he  found  what  the 
basket  contained  he  was  overjoyed.  At  once  he  car- 
ried the  baby  to  his  wife  and  said: 

"You  have  always  wanted  a  little  son  and  here 
you  have  one.  The  river  has  given  him  to  us." 

The  fisherman's  wife  was  delighted  and  brought 
up  the  child  as  her  own.  They  named  him  Plavachek, 
which  means  a  little  boy  who  has  come  floating  on  the 
water. 

The  river  flowed  on  and  the  days  went  by  and 
Plavachek  grew  from  a  baby  to  a  boy  and  then  into 
a  handsome  youth,  the  handsomest  by  far  in  the  whole 
countryside. 

One  day  the  king  happened  to  ride  that  way  un- 
attended. It  was  hot  and  he  was  thirsty.  He  beck- 
oned to  the  fisherman  to  get  him  a  drink  of  fresh 
water.  Plavachek  brought  it  to  him.  The  king  looked 
at  the  handsome  youth  in  astonishment. 

"  You  have  a  fine  lad,"  he  said  to  the  fisherman. 
"  Is  he  your  own  son?  " 

"  He  is,  yet  .  he  isn't,"  the  fisherman  answered. 
"  Just  twenty  years  ago  a  little  baby  in  a  basket  floated 


THE  THREE  GOLDEN  HAIRS  27 

down  the  river.  We  took  him  in  and  he  has  been 
ours  ever  since." 

A  mist  rose  before  the  king's  eyes  and  he  went 
deathly  pale,  for  he  knew  at  once  that  Plavachek  was 
the  child  that  he  had  ordered  drowned. 

Soon  he  recovered  himself  and  jumping  from  his 
horse  he  said :  "  I  need  a  messenger  to  send  to  my 
palace  and  I  have  no  one  with  me.  Could  this  youth 
go  for  me? " 

"  Your  majesty  has  but  to  command,"  the  fisher- 
man said,  "  and  Plavachek  will  go." 

The  king  sat  down  and  wrote  a  letter  to  the  queen. 
This  is  what  he  said: 

"  Have  the  young  man  who  delivers  this  letter  run 
through  with  a  sword  at  once.  He  is  a  dangerous 
enemy.  Let  him  be  dispatched  before  I  return.  Such 
is  my  will." 

He  folded  the  letter,  made  it  secure,  and  sealed  it 
with  his  own  signet. 

Plavachek  took  the  letter  and  started  out  with  it  at 
once.  He  had  to  go  through  a  deep  forest  where  he 
missed  the  path  and  lost  his  way.  He  struggled  on 
through  underbrush  and  thicket  until  it  began  to 
grow  dark.  Then  he  met  an  old  woman  who  said  to 
him: 


28  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

"  Where  are  you  going,  Plavachek?  " 

"  I'm  carrying  this  letter  to  the  king's  palace  and 
I've  lost  my  way.  Can  you  put  me  on  the  right  road, 
mother? " 

"  You  can't  get  there  today,"  the  old  woman  said. 
"  It's  dark  now.  Spend  the  night  with  me.  You 
won't  be  with  a  stranger,  for  I'm  your  old  godmother." 

Plavachek  allowed  himself  to  be  persuaded  and 
presently  he  saw  before  him  a  pretty  little  house  that 
seemed  at  that  moment  to  have  sprung  out  of  the 
ground. 

During  the  night  while  Plavachek  was  asleep,  the 
old  woman  took  the  letter  out  of  his  pocket  and  put  in 
another  that  read  as  follows: 

"  Have  the  young  man  who  delivers  this  letter  mar- 
ried to  our  daughter  at  once.  He  is  my  destined  son- 
in-law.  Let  the  wedding  take  place  before  I  return. 
Such  is  my  will." 

The  next  day  Plavachek  delivered  the  letter  and  as 
soon  as  the  queen  read  it,  she  gave  orders  at  once  for 
the  wedding.  Both  she  and  her  daughter  were  much 
taken  with  the  handsome  youth  and  gazed  at  him  with 
tender  eyes.  As  for  Plavachek  he  fell  instantly  in  love 
with  the  princess  and  was  delighted  to  marry  her. 

Some  days  after  the  wedding  the  king  returned 


THE  THREE  GOLDEN  HAIRS  29 

and  when  he  heard  what  had  happened  he  flew  into  a 
violent  rage  at  the  queen. 

"But,"  protested  the  queen,  "  you  yourself  ordered 
me  to  have  him  married  to  our  daughter  before  you 
came  back.  Here  is  your  letter." 

The  king  took  the  letter  and  examined  it  care- 
fully. The  handwriting,  the  seal,  the  paper — all  were 
his  own. 

He  called  his  son-in-law  and  questioned  him. 

Plavachek  related  how  he  had  lost  his  way  in  the 
forest  and  spent  the  night  with  his  godmother. 

"  What  does  your  godmother  look  like? "  the  king 
asked. 

Plavachek  described  her. 

From  the  description  the  king  recognized  her  as 
the  same  old  woman  who  had  promised  the  princess 
to  the  charcoal-burner's  son  twenty  years  before. 

He  looked  at  Plavachek  thoughtfully  and  at  last 
he  said: 

"What's  done  can't  be  undone.  However,  young 
man,  you  can't  expect  to  be  my  son-in-law  for  noth- 
ing. If  you  want  my  daughter  you  must  bring  me 
for  dowry  three  of  the  golden  hairs  of  old  Grand- 
father Knowitall." 

He  thought  to  himself  that  this  would  be  an  im- 


30  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

possible  task  and  so  would  be  a  good  way  to  get  rid  of 
an  undesirable  son-in-law. 

Plavachek  took  leave  of  his  bride  and  started  off. 
He  didn't  know  which  way  to  go.  Who  would  know? 
Everybody  talked  about  old  Grandfather  Knowitall, 
but  nobody  seemed  to  know  where  to  find  him.  Yet 
Plavachek  had  a  Fate  for  a  godmother,  so  it  wasn't 
likely  that  he  would  miss  the  right  road. 

He  traveled  long  and  far,  going  over  wooded  hills 
and  desert  plains  and  crossing  deep  rivers.  He  came 
at  last  to  a  black  sea. 

There  he  saw  a  boat  and  an  old  ferryman. 

"  God  bless  you,  old  ferryman ! "  he  said. 

"  May  God  grant  that  prayer,  young  traveler! 
Where  are  you  going?  " 

"  I'm  going  to  old  Grandfather  Knowitall  to  get 
three  of  his  golden  hairs." 

"  Oho!  I  have  long  been  hunting  for  just  such 
a  messenger  as  you!  For  twenty  years  I  have  been 
ferrying  people  across  this  black  sea  and  nobody  has 
come  to  relieve  me.  If  you  promise  to  ask  Grand- 
father Knowitall  when  my  work  will  end,  I'll  ferry 
you  over." 

Plavachek  promised  and  the  boatman  took  him 
across. 


THE  THREE  GOLDEN  HAIRS  31 

Plavachek  traveled  on  until  he  came  to  a  great  city 
that  was  in  a  state  of  decay.  Before  the  city  he  met 
an  old  man  who  had  a  staff  in  his  hand,  but  even  with 
the  staff  he  could  scarcely  crawl  along. 

"God  bless  you,  old  grandfather!"  Plavachek 
said. 

"May  God  grant  that  prayer,  handsome  youth! 
Where  are  you  going? " 

"  I  am  going  to  old  Grandfather  Knowitall  to  get 
three  of  his  golden  hairs." 

"  Indeed !  We  have  been  waiting  a  long  time  for 
just  such  a  messenger  as  you!  I  must  lead  you  at 
once  to  the  king." 

So  he  took  him  to  the  king  and  the  king  said: 
"Ah,  so  you  are  going  on  an  errand  to  Grandfather 
Knowitall!  We  have  an  apple-tree  here  that  used 
to  bear  apples  of  youth.  If  any  one  ate  one  of  those 
apples,  no  matter  how  aged  he  was,  he'd  become  young 
again.  But,  alas,  for  twenty  years  now  our  tree  has 
borne  no  fruit.  If  you  promise  to  ask  Grandfather 
Knowitall  if  there  is  any  help  for  us,  I  will  reward 
you  handsomely." 

Plavachek  gave  the  king  his  promise  and  the  king 
bid  him  godspeed. 

Plavachek  traveled  on  until  he  reached  another  great 


32  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

city  that  was  half  in  ruins.  Not  far  from  the  city 
a  man  was  burying  his  father,  and  tears  as  big  as 
peas  were  rolling  down  his  cheek. 

"God  bless  you,  mournful  grave-digger!"  Plava- 
chek  said. 

"May  God  grant  that  prayer,  kind  traveler! 
Where  are  you  going? " 

"  I'm  going  to  old  Grandfather  Knowitall  to  get 
three  of  his  golden  hairs." 

"To  Grandfather  Knowitall!  What  a  pity  you 
didn't  come  sooner!  Our  king  has  long  been  waiting 
for  just  such  a  messenger  as  you!  I  must  lead  you 
to  him." 

So  he  took  Plavachek  to  the  king  and  the  king 
said  to  him:  "  So  you're  going  on  an  errand  to  Grand- 
father Knowitall.  We  have  a  well  here  that  used  to 
flow  with  the  water  of  life.  If  any  one  drank  of  it, 
no  matter  how  sick  he  was,  he  would  get  well.  Nay, 
if  he  were  already  dead,  this  water,  sprinkled  upon 
him,  would  bring  him  back  to  life.  But,  alas,  for 
twenty  years  now  the  well  has  gone  dry.  If  you 
promise  to  ask  Grandfather  Knowitall  if  there  is  help 
for  us,  I  will  reward  you  handsomely." 

Plavachek  gave  the  king  his  promise  and  the  king 
bid  him  godspeed. 


THE  THREE  GOLDEN  HAIRS  33 

After  that  Plavachek  traveled  long  and  far  into  a 
black  forest.  Deep  in  the  forest  he  came  upon  a  broad 
green  meadow  full  of  beautiful  flowers  and  in  its 
midst  a  golden  palace  glittering  as  though  it  were  on 
fire.  This  was  the  palace  of  Grandfather  Knowitall. 

Plavachek  entered  and  found  nobody  there  but  an 
old  woman  who  sat  spinning  in  a  corner. 

"  Welcome,  Plavachek,"  she  said.  "  I  am  delighted 
to  see  you  again." 

He  looked  at  the  old  woman  and  saw  that  she  was 
his  godmother  with  whom  he  had  spent  the  night  when 
he  was  carrying  the  letter  to  the  palace. 

"  What  has  brought  you  here,  Plavachek? "  she 
asked. 

"  The  king,  godmother.  He  says  I  can't  be  his  son- 
in-law  for  nothing.  I  have  to  give  a  dowry.  So  he 
has  sent  me  to  old  Grandfather  Knowitall  to  get  three 
of  his  golden  hairs." 

The  old  woman  smiled  and  said:  "Do  you  know 
who  Grandfather  Knowitall  is?  Why,  he's  the  bright 
Sun  who  goes  everywhere  and  sees  everything.  I  am 
his  mother.  In  the  morning  he's  a  little  lad,  at  noon 
he's  a  grown  man,  and  in  the  evening  an  old  grand- 
father. I  will  get  you  three  of  the  golden  hairs  from 
his  golden  head,  for  I  must  not  be  a  godmother  for 


34  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

nothing!  But,  my  lad,  you  mustn't  remain  where  you 
are.  My  son  is  kind,  but  if  he  comes  home  hungry 
he  might  want  to  roast  you  and  eat  you  for  his  sup- 
per. There's  an  empty  tub  over  there  and  I'll  just 
cover  you  with  it." 

Plavachek  begged  his  godmother  to  get  from 
Grandfather  Knowitall  the  answers  for  the  three  ques- 
tions he  had  promised  to  ask. 

"  I  will,"  said  the  old  woman,  "and  do  you  listen 
carefully  to  what  he  says." 

Suddenly  there  was  the  rushing  sound  of  a  mighty 
wind  outside  and  the  Sun,  an  old  grandfather  with  a 
golden  head,  flew  in  by  the  western  window.  He 
sniffed  the  air  suspiciously. 

"  Phew!  Phew!  "  he  cried.  "  I  smell  human  flesh! 
Have  you  any  one  here,  mother?  " 

"  Star  of  the  day,  whom  could  I  have  here  without 
your  seeing  him?  The  truth  is  you've  been  flying  all 
day  long  over  God's  world  and  your  nose  is  filled 
with  the  smell  of  human  flesh.  That's  why  you  still 
smell  it  when  you  come  home  in  the  evening." 

The  old  man  said  nothing  more  and  sat  down  to 
his  supper. 

After  supper  he  laid  his  head  on  the  old  woman's 
lap  and  fell  sound  asleep.  The  old  woman  pulled  out  a 


THE  THREE  GOLDEN  HAIRS  35 

golden  hair  and  threw  it  on  the  floor.  It  twanged  like 
the  string  of  a  violin. 

"  What  is  it,  mother?  "  the  old  man  said.  "  What 
is  it?" 

"  Nothing,  my  boy,  nothing.  I  was  asleep  and  had 
a  wonderful  dream." 

"What  did  you  dream  about,  mother?" 

"  I  dreamt  about  a  city  where  they  had  a  well  of 
living  water.  If  any  one  drank  of  it,  no  matter  how 
sick  he  was,  he  would  get  well.  Nay,  if  he  were 
already  dead,  this  water,  sprinkled  on  him,  would 
bring  him  back  to  life.  For  the  last  twenty  years  the 
well  has  gone  dry.  Is  there  anything  to  be  done  to 
make  it  flow  again?  " 

"  Yes.  There's  a  frog  sitting  on  the  spring  that 
feeds  the  well.  Let  them  kill  the  frog  and  clean  out 
the  well  and  the  water  will  flow  as  before." 

When  he  fell  asleep  again  the  old  woman  pulled 
out  another  golden  hair  and  threw  it  on  the  floor. 

"What  is  it,  mother?" 

"  Nothing,  my  boy,  nothing.  I  was  asleep  again 
and  I  had  a  wonderful  dream.  I  dreamt  of  a  city 
where  they  had  an  apple-tree  that  bore  apples  of 
youth.  If  any  one  ate  one  of  those  apples,  no  matter 
how  aged  he  was,  he'd  become  young  again.  But  for 


36  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

twenty  years  the  tree  has  borne  no  fruit.  Can  any- 
thing be  done  about  it?  " 

"  Yes.  In  the  roots  of  the  tree  there  is  a  snake 
that  takes  its  strength.  Let  them  kill  the  snake  and 
transplant  the  tree.  Then  it  will  bear  fruit  as  before." 

He  fell  asleep  again  and  the  old  woman  pulled  out 
a  third  golden  hair. 

"  Why  won't  you  let  me  sleep,  mother? "  he  com- 
plained, and  started  to  sit  up. 

"Lie  still,  my  boy,  lie  still.  I  didn't  intend  to 
wake  you,  but  a  heavy  sleep  fell  upon  me  and  I  had 
another  wonderful  dream.  I  dreamt  of  a  boatman  on 
the  black  sea.  For  twenty  years  he  has  been  ferrying 
that  boat  and  no  one  has  offered  to  relieve  him. 
When  will  he  be  relieved?  " 

"  Ah,  but  that  boatman  is  the  son  of  a  stupid 
mother!  Why  doesn't  he  thrust  the  oar  into  the  hand 
of  some  one  else  and  jump  ashore  himself?  Then 
the  other  man  would  have  to  be  ferryman  in  his  place. 
But  now  let  me  be  quiet.  I  must  get  up  early 
tomorrow  morning  and  go  and  dry  the  tears  which  the 
king's  daughter  sheds  every  night  for  her  husband,  the 
charcoal-burner's  son,  whom  the  king  has  sent  to  get 
three  of  my  golden  hairs." 

In  the  morning  there  was  again  the  rushing  sound 


THE  THREE  GOLDEN  HAIRS  37 

of  a  mighty  wind  outside  and  a  beautiful  golden  child 
— no  longer  an  old  man — awoke  on  his  mother's  lap. 
It  was  the  glorious  Sun.  He  bade  his  mother  fare- 
well and  flew  out  by  an  eastern  window. 

The  old  woman  turned  over  the  tub  and  said  to 
Plavachek:  "  Here  are  the  three  golden  hairs  for  you. 
You  also  have  Grandfather  Knowitall's  answers  to 
your  three  questions.  Now  good-by.  As  you  will 
need  me  no  more,  you  will  never  see  me  again." 

Plavachek  thanked  his  godmother  most  gratefully 
and  departed. 

When  he  reached  the  first  city  the  king  asked  him 
what  news  he  brought. 

"Good  news!"  Plavachek  said.  "Have  the  well 
cleaned  out  and  kill  the  frog  that  sits  on  its  spring. 
If  you  do  this  the  water  will  flow  again  as  it  used  to." 

The  king  ordered  this  to  be  done  at  once  and  when 
he  saw  the  water  beginning  to  bubble  up  and  flow 
again,  he  made  Plavachek  a  present  of  twelve  horses, 
white  as  swans,  laden  with  as  much  gold  and  silver 
as  they  could  carry. 

When  Plavachek  came  to  the  second  city  and  the 
king  of  that  city  asked  him  what  news  he  brought, 
he  said: 

"  Good  news !    Have  the  apple  tree  dug  up.    At 

87798 


38  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

its  roots  you  will  find  a  snake.  Kill  the  snake  and 
replant  the  tree.  Then  it  will  bear  fruit  as  it  used  to." 

The  king  had  this  done  at  once  and  during  the 
night  the  tree  burst  into  bloom  and  bore  great  quan- 
tities of  fruit.  The  king  was  delighted  and  made 
Plavachek  a  present  of  twelve  horses,  black  as  ravens, 
laden  with  as  much  riches  as  they  could  carry. 

Plavachek  traveled  on  and  when  he  came  to  the 
black  sea,  the  boatman  asked  him  had  he  the  answer  to 
his  question. 

"  Yes,  I  have,"  said  Plavachek,  "  but  you  must 
ferry  me  over  before  I  tell  you." 

The  boatman  wanted  to  hear  the  answer  at  once, 
but  Plavachek  was  firm.  So  the  old  man  ferried  him 
across  with  his  twelve  white  horses  and  his  twelve 
black  horses. 

When  Plavachek  was  safely  landed,  he  said :  "  The 
next  person  who  comes  to  be  ferried  over,  thrust  the 
oar  into  his  hand  and  do  you  jump  ashore.  Then  the 
other  man  will  have  to  be  boatman  in  your  place." 

Plavachek  traveled  home  to  the  palace.  The  king 
could  scarcely  believe  his  eyes  when  he  saw  the  three 
golden  hairs  of  Grandfather  Knowitall.  The  princess 
wept  again,  not  for  sorrow  this  time  but  for  joy  at 
her  bridegroom's  return. 


THE  THREE  GOLDEN  HAIRS  39 

"  But,  Plavachek,"  the  king  gasped,  "  where  did 
you  get  these  beautiful  horses  and  all  these  riches?  " 

"  I  earned  them,"  said  Plavachek  proudly.  Then 
he  related  how  he  helped  one  king  who  had  a  tree  of 
the  apples  of  youth  and  another  king  who  had  a  well 
of  the  water  of  life. 

"  Apples  of  youth!  Water  of  life!  "  the  king  kept 
repeating  softly  to  himself.  "  If  I  ate  one  of  those 
apples  I  should  become  young  again!  If  I  were  dead 
the  water  of  life  would  restore  me !  " 

He  lost  no  time  in  starting  out  in  quest  of  the 
apples  of  youth  and  the  water  of  life.  And  do  you 
know,  he  hasn't  come  back  yet! 

So  Plavachek,  the  charcoal-burner's  son,  became  the 
king's  son-in-law  as  the  old  Fate  foretold. 

As  for  the  king,  well,  I  fear  he's  still  ferrying  that 
boat  across  the  black  sea! 


THE  FLAMING  HORSE 

THE  STORY  OF  A  COUNTRY  WHERE  THE  SUN 
NEVER  SHINES 


THE  FLAMING  HORSE 

THERE  was  once  a  land  that  was  dreary  and  dark 
as  the  grave,  for  the  sun  of  heaven  never  shone 
upon  it.  The  king  of  the  country  had  a  wonderful 
horse  that  had,  growing  right  on  his  forehead,  a  flaming 
sun.  In  order  that  his  subjects  might  have  the  light 
that  is  necessary  for  life,  the  king  had  this  horse  led 
back  and  forth  from  one  end  of  his  dark  kingdom  to 
the  other.  Wherever  he  went  his  flaming  head  shone 
out  and  it  seemed  like  beautiful  day. 

Suddenly  this  wonderful  horse  disappeared.  Heavy 
darkness  that  nothing  could  dispel  settled  down  on 
the  country.  Fear  spread  among  the  people  and  soon 
they  were  suffering  terrible  poverty,  for  they  were  un- 
able to  cultivate  the  fields  or  do  anything  else  that 
would  earn  them  a  livelihood.  Confusion  increased 
until  the  king  saw  that  the  whole  country  was  likely 
to  perish.  In  order  then,  if  possible,  to  save  his  people, 
he  gathered  his  army  together  and  set  out  in  search 
of  the  missing  horse. 

43 


44  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

Through  heavy  darkness  they  groped  their  way 
slowly  and  with  difficulty  to  the  far  boundaries  of  the 
kingdom.  At  last  they  reached  the  ancient  forests  that 
bordered  the  neighboring  state  and  they  saw  gleaming 
through  the  trees  faint  rays  of  the  sunshine  with  which 
that  kingdom  was  blessed. 

Here  they  came  upon  a  small  lonely  cottage  which 
the  king  entered  in  order  to  find  out  where  he  was  and 
to  ask  directions  for  moving  forward. 

A  man  was  sitting  at  the  table  reading  diligently 
from  a  large  open  book.  When  the  king  bowed  to 
him,  he  raised  his  eyes,  returned  the  greeting,  and  stood 
up.  His  whole  appearance  showed  that  he  was  no 
ordinary  man  but  a  seer. 

"  I  was  just  reading  about  you,"  he  said  to  the  king, 
"  that  you  were  gone  in  search  of  the  flaming  horse.  Ex- 
ert yourself  no  further,  for  you  will  never  find  him.  But 
trust  the  enterprise  to  me  and  I  will  get  him  for  you." 

"  If  you  do  that,  my  man,"  the  king  said,  "  I  will 
pay  you  royally." 

"  I  seek  no  reward.  Return  home  at  once  with  your 
army,  for  your  people  need  you.  Only  leave  here  with 
me  one  of  your  serving  men." 

The  king  did  exactly  as  the  seer  advised  and  went 
home  at  once. 


THE  FLAMING  HORSE  45 

The  next  day  the  seer  and  his  man  set  forth.  They 
journeyed  far  and  long  until  they  had  crossed  six  dif- 
ferent countries.  Then  they  went  on  into  the  seventh 
country  which  was  ruled  over  by  three  brothers  who 
had  married  three  sisters,  the  daughters  of  a 
witch. 

They  made  their  way  to  the  front  of  the  royal 
palace,  where  the  seer  said  to  his  man:  "Do  you  stay 
here  while  I  go  in  and  find  out  whether  the  kings  are 
at  home.  It  is  they  who  stole  the  flaming  horse  and 
the  youngest  brother  rides  him." 

Then  the  seer  transformed  himself  into  a  green  bird 
and  flew  up  to  the  window  of  the  eldest  queen  and 
flitted  about  and  pecked  until  she  opened  the  window 
and  let  him  into  her  chamber.  When  she  let  him  in,  he 
alighted  on  her  white  hand  and  the  queen  was  as  happy 
as  a  child. 

"  You  pretty  thing! "  she  said,  playing  with  him. 
"  If  my  husband  were  home  how  pleased  he  would  be  1 
But  he's  off  visiting  a  third  of  his  kingdom  and  he 
won't  be  home  until  evening." 

Suddenly  the  old  witch  came  into  the  room  and  as 
soon  as  she  saw  the  bird  she  shrieked  to  her  daughter: 
"  Wring  the  neck  of  that  cursed  bird,  or  it  will  stain 
you  with  blood!" 


46  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

"  Why  should  it  stain  me  with  blood,  the  dear  inno- 
cent thing! " 

"  Dear  innocent  mischief! "  shrieked  the  witch. 
"  Here,  give  it  to  me  and  I'll  wring  its  neck! " 

She  tried  to  catch  the  bird,  but  the  bird  changed 
itself  into  a  man  and  was  already  out  of  the  door  before 
they  knew  what  had  become  of  him. 

After  that  he  changed  himself  again  into  a  green 
bird  and  flew  up  to  the  window  of  the  second  sister. 
He  pecked  at  it  until  she  opened  it  and  let  him  in. 
Then  he  flitted  about  her,  settling  first  on  one  of  her 
white  hands,  then  on  the  other. 

"  What  a  dear  bird  you  are ! "  cried  the  queen. 
"  How  you  would  please  my  husband  if  he  were  at 
home.  But  he's  off  visiting  two-thirds  of  his  kingdom 
and  he  won't  be  back  until  tomorrow  evening." 

At  that  moment  the  witch  ran  into  the  room  and 
as  soon  as  she  saw  the  bird  she  shrieked  out :  "  Wring 
the  neck  of  that  wretched  bird,  or  it  will  stain  you  with 
blood!" 

"  Why  should  it  stain  me  with  blood?  "  the  daughter 
answered.  "  The  dear  innocent  thing!  " 

"Dear  innocent  mischief!"  shrieked  the  witch. 
"  Here,  give  it  to  me  and  I'll  wring  its  neck !  " 

She  reached  out  to  catch  the  bird,  but  in  less  time 


THE  FLAMING  HORSE  47 

than  it  takes  to  clap  a  hand,  the  bird  had  changed  itself 
into  a  man  who  ran  through  the  door  and  was  gone 
before  they  knew  where  he  was. 

A  moment  later  he  again  changed  himself  into  a 
green  bird  and  flew  up  to  the  window  of  the  youngest 
queen.  He  flitted  about  and  pecked  until  she  opened 
the  window  and  let  him  in.  Then  he  alighted  at  once 
on  her  white  hand  and  this  pleased  her  so  much  that 
she  laughed  like  a  child  and  played  with  him. 

"  Oh,  what  a  dear  bird  you  are !  "  she  cried.  "  How 
you  would  delight  my  husband  if  he  were  home.  But 
he's  off  visiting  all  three  parts  of  his  kingdom  and  he 
won't  be  back  until  the  day  after  tomorrow  in  the 
evening." 

At  that  moment  the  old  witch  rushed  into  the  room. 
"Wring  the  neck  of  that  cursed  bird!"  she  shrieked, 
"  or  it  will  stain  you  with  blood." 

"  My  dear  mother,"  the  queen  answered,  "  why 
should  it  stain  me  with  blood — beautiful  innocent  crea- 
ture that  it  is!" 

"  Beautiful  innocent  mischief !  "  shrieked  the  witch. 
"  Here,  give  it  to  me  and  I'll  wring  its  neck! " 

But  at  that  moment  the  bird  changed  itself  into  a 
man,  disappeared  through  the  door,  and  they  never  saw 
him  again. 


49  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

The  seer  knew  now  where  the  kings  were  and  when 
they  would  come  home.  So  he  made  his  plans  accord- 
ingly. He  ordered  his  servant  to  follow  him  and  they 
"set  out  from  the  city  at  a  quick  pace.  They  went  on 
until  they  came  to  a  bridge  which  the  three  kings  as 
they  came  back  would  have  to  cross. 

The  seer  and  his  man  hid  themselves  under  the 
"bridge  and  lay  there  in  wait  until  evening.  As  the 
sun  sank  behind  the  mountains,  they  heard  the  clatter 
of  hoofs  approaching  the  bridge.  It  was  the  eldest 
king  returning  home.  At  the  bridge  his  horse  stumbled 
on  a  log  which  the  seer  had  rolled  there. 

"What  scoundrel  has  thrown  a  log  here?"  cried 
the  king  angrily. 

Instantly  the  seer  leaped  out  from  under  the  bridge 
and  demanded  of  the  king  how  he  dared  to  call  him  a 
scoundrel.  Clamoring  for  satisfaction  he  drew  his 
sword  and  attacked  the  king.  The  king,  too,  drew 
sword  and  defended  himself,  but  after  a  short  struggle 
lie  fell  from  his  horse  dead.  The  seer  bound  the  dead 
king  to  his  horse  and  then  with  a  cut  of  the  whip 
started  the  horse  homewards. 

The  seer  hid  himself  again  and  he  and  his  man  lay 
in  wait  until  the  next  evening. 

On  that  evening  near  sunset  the  second  king  came 


THE  FLAMING  HORSE  49 

riding  up  to  the  bridge.  When  he  saw  the  ground 
sprinkled  with  blood,  he  cried  out:  "  Surely  there  has 
been  a  murder  here!  Who  has  dared  to  commit  such 
a  crime  in  my  kingdom! " 

At  these  words  the  seer  leaped  out  from  under 
the  bridge,  drew  his  sword,  and  shouted :  "  How 
dare  you  insult  me?  Defend  yourself  as  best  you 
can!" 

The  king  drew,  but  after  a  short  struggle  he,  too, 
yielded  up  his  life  to  the  sword  of  the  seer. 

The  seer  bound  the  dead  king  to  his  horse  and  with 
a  cut  of  the  whip  started  the  horse  homewards. 

Then  the  seer  hid  himself  again  under  the  bridge 
and  he  and  his  man  lay  there  in  wait  until  the  third 
evening. 

On  the  third  evening  just  at  sunset  the  youngest 
king  came  galloping  home  on  the  flaming  steed.  He 
was  hurrying  fast  because  he  had  been  delayed.  But 
when  he  saw  red  blood  at  the  bridge  he  stopped  short 
and  looked  around. 

"  What  audacious  villain,"  he  cried,  "  has  dared  to 
kill  a  man  in  my  kingdom!  " 

Hardly  had  he  spoken  when  the  seer  stood  before 
him  with  drawn  sword  demanding  satisfaction  for  the 
insult  of  his  words. 


50  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

"  I  don't  know  how  I've  insulted  you,"  the  king 
said,  "  unless  you're  the  murderer." 

When  the  seer  refused  to  parley,  the  king,  too,  drew 
his  sword  and  defended  himself. 

To  overcome  the  first  two  kings  had  been  mere  play 
for  the  seer,  but  it  was  no  play  this  time.  They  both 
fought  until  their  swords  were  broken  and  still  victory 
was  doubtful. 

"We  shall  accomplish  nothing  with  swords,"  the 
seer  said.  "  That  is  plain.  I  tell  you  what :  let  us  turn 
ourselves  into  wheels  and  start  rolling  down  the  hill  and 
the  wheel  that  gets  broken  let  him  yield." 

"  Good!  "  said  the  king.  "  I'll  be  a  cartwheel  and 
you  be  a  lighter  wheel." 

"  No,  no,"  the  seer  answered  quickly.  "  You  be  the 
light  wheel  and  I'll  be  the  cartwheel." 

To  this  the  king  agreed.  So  they  went  up  the  hill, 
turned  themselves  into  wheels  and  started  rolling  down. 
The  cartwheel  went  whizzing  into  the  lighter  wheel  and 
broke  its  spokes. 

"There!"  cried  the  seer,  rising  up  from  the  cart- 
wheel. "  I  am  victor! " 

"  Not  so,  brother,  not  so! "  said  the  king,  standing 
before  the  seer.  "  You  only  broke  my  fingers!  Now  I 
tell  you  what:  let  us  change  ourselves  into  two  flames 


THE  FLAMING  HORSE  51 

and  let  the  flame  that  burns  up  the  other  be  victor. 
I'll  be  a  red  flame  and  do  you  be  a  white  one." 

"  Oh,  no,"  the  seer  interrupted.  "  You  be  the  white 
flame  and  I'll  be  the  red  one." 

The  king  agreed  to  this.  So  they  went  back  to  the 
road  that  led  to  the  bridge,  turned  themselves  into 
flames,  and  began  burning  each  other  mercilessly.  But 
neither  was  able  to  burn  up  the  other. 

Suddenly  a  beggar  came  down  the  road,  an  old  man 
with  a  long  gray  beard  and  a  bald  head,  with  a  scrip 
at  his  side  and  a  heavy  staff  in  his  hand. 

"  Father,"  the  white  flame  said,  "  get  some  water 
and  pour  it  on  the  red  flame  and  I'll  give  you  a  penny." 

But  the  red  flame  called  out  quickly :  "  Not  so, 
father!  Get  some  water  and  pour  it  on  the  white  flame 
and  I'll  give  you  a  shilling!  " 

Now  of  course  the  shilling  appealed  to  the  beggar 
more  than  the  penny.  So  he  got  some  water,  poured 
it  on  the  white  flame  and  that  was  the  end  of  the  king. 

The  red  flame  turned  into  a  man  who  seized  the 
flaming  horse  by  the  bridle,  mounted  him  and,  after  he 
had  rewarded  the  beggar,  called  his  servant  and  rode 
off. 

Meanwhile  at  the  royal  palace  there  was  deep 
sorrow  for  the  murdered  kings.  The  halls  were  draped 


52  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

in  black  and  people  came  from  miles  around  to  gaze  at 
the  mutilated  bodies  of  the  two  elder  brothers  which  the 
horses  had  carried  home. 

The  old  witch  was  beside  herself  with  rage.  As 
soon  as  she  had  devised  a  plan  whereby  she  could 
avenge  the  murder  of  her  sons-in-law,  she  took  her  three 
daughters  under  her  arm,  mounted  an  iron  rake,  and 
sailed  off  through  the  air. 

The  seer  and  his  man  had  already  covered  a  good 
part  of  their  journey  and  were  hurrying  on  over  rough 
mountains  and  across  desert  plains,  when  the  servant 
was  taken  with  a  terrible  hunger.  There  wasn't  any- 
thing in  sight  that  he  could  eat,  not  even  a  wild  berry. 
Then  suddenly  they  came  upon  an  apple  tree  that  was 
bending  beneath  a  load  of  ripe  fruit.  The  apples  were 
red  and  pleasant  to  the  sight  and  sent  out  a  fragrance 
that  was  most  inviting. 

The  servant  was  delighted.  "  Glory  to  God! "  he 
cried.  "  Now  I  can  feast  to  my  heart's  content  on 
these  apples!" 

He  was  already  running  to  the  tree  when  the  seer 
called  him  back. 

"Wait!  Don't  touch  them!  I  will  pick  them  for 
you  myself! " 

But  instead  of  picking  an  apple,  the  seer  drew  his 


THE  FLAMING  HORSE  53 

<?word  and  struck  a  mighty  blow  into  the  apple  tree. 
Red  blood  gushed  forth. 

"Just  see,  my  man!  You  would  have  perished  if 
you  had  eaten  one  apple.  This  apple  tree  is  the  eldest 
queen,  whom  her  mother,  the  witch,  placed  here  for  our 
destruction." 

Presently  they  came  to  a  spring.  Its  water  bubbled 
up  clear  as  crystal  and  most  tempting  to  the  tired 
traveler. 

"  Ah,"  said  the  servant,  "  since  we  can  get  nothing 
better,  at  least  we  can  take  a  drink  of  this  good  water." 

"Wait!"  cried  the  seer.  "I  will  draw  some  for 
you." 

But  instead  of  drawing  water  he  plunged  his 
naked  sword  into  the  middle  of  the  spring.  Instantly 
it  was  covered  with  blood  and  blood  began  to  spurt 
from  the  spring  in  thick  streams. 

"  This  is  the  second  queen,  whom  her  mother,  the 
witch,  placed  here  to  work  our  doom." 

Presently  they  came  to  a  rosebush  covered  with 
beautiful  red  roses  that  scented  all  the  air  with  their 
fragrance. 

"  What  beautiful  roses!  "  said  the  servant.  "  I  have 
never  seen  any  such  in  all  my  life.  I'll  go  pluck  a  few. 
As  I  can't  eat  or  drink,  I'll  comfort  myself  with  roses." 


54.  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

"  Don't  dare  to  pluck  them!  "  cried  the  seer.  "  I'll 
pluck  them  for  you." 

With  that  he  cut  into  the  bush  with  his  sword  and 
red  blood  spurted  out  as  though  he  had  cut  a  human 
vein. 

"  This  is  the  youngest  queen,"  said  the  seer,  "  whom 
her  mother,  the  witch,  placed  here  in  the  hope  of  re- 
venging herself  on  us  for  the  death  of  her  sons-in-law." 

After  that  they  proceeded  without  further  adven- 
tures. 

When  they  crossed  the  boundaries  of  the  dark  king- 
dom, the  sun  in  the  horse's  forehead  sent  out  its  blessed 
rays  in  all  directions.  Everything  came  to  life.  The 
earth  rejoiced  and  covered  itself  with  flowers. 

The  king  felt  he  could  never  thank  the  seer  enough 
and  he  offered  him  the  half  of  his  kingdom. 

But  the  seer  replied :  "  You  are  the  king.  Keep  on 
ruling  over  the  whole  of  your  kingdom  and  let  me 
return  to  my  cottage  in  peace." 

He  bade  the  king  farewell  and  departed. 


THE  THREE  CITRONS 

THE  STORY   OF  A   PRINCE 
WHO   CLIMBED   THE   GLASS   HILL 


THE  THREE  CITRONS 

ONCE  upon  a  time  there  was  an  aged  king  who 
had  an  only  son.  One  day  he  called  the  prince 
to  him  and  said:  "My  son,  you  see  that  my  head  is 
white.  Soon  I  shall  be  closing  my  eyes  and  you  are 
not  yet  settled  in  life.  Marry,  my  son,  marry  at  once 
so  that  I  can  bless  you  before  I  die." 

The  prince  made  no  answer  but  he  took  the  king's 
words  to  heart  and  pondered  them.  He  would  gladly 
have  done  as  his  father  wished  but  there  was  no  young 
girl  upon  whom  his  affections  were  set. 

One  day  when  he  was  sitting  in  the  garden,  wonder- 
ing what  to  do,  an  old  woman  suddenly  appeared  be- 
fore him. 

"Go,"  she  said,  "to  the  top  of  the  Glass  Hill, 
pluck  the  Three  Citrons,  and  you  will  get  a  wife  in 
whom  your  heart  will  delight."  With  that  she  disap- 
peared as  mysteriously  as  she  had  come. 

Her  words  went  through  the  prince's  soul  like  a 
bright  dart.  Instantly  he  determined,  come  what 

07 


58  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

might,  to  find  the  Glass  Hill  and  to  pluck  the  Three 
Citrons.  He  told  his  father  his  intention  and  the  old 
king  fitted  him  out  for  the  journey  and  gave  him  his 
blessing. 

For  a  long  time  the  prince  wandered  over  wooded 
mountains  and  desert  plains  without  seeing  or  even 
hearing  anything  of  the  Glass  Hill  and  the  Three 
Citrons.  One  day,  worn  out  with  his  long  journey,  he 
threw  himself  down  in  the  shade  of  a  wide-spreading 
linden  tree.  As  his  father's  sword,  which  he  wore  at 
his  side,  clanked  on  the  ground,  twelve  ravens  began 
cawing  from  the  top  of  the  tree.  Frightened  by  the 
clanking  of  the  sword,  they  raised  their  wings  and  flew 
off. 

The  prince  jumped  to  his  feet.  "  Those  are  the  first 
living  creatures  I  have  seen  for  many  a  day.  I'll  go 
in  the  direction  they  have  taken,"  he  said  to  himself, 
"  and  perhaps  I'll  have  better  luck." 

So  he  traveled  on  and  after  three  days  and  three 
nights  a  high  castle  came  in  view. 

"Thank  God!"  he  exclaimed,  pushing  joyfully 
ahead.  "  I  shall  soon  have  human  companionship  once 
more." 

The  castle  was  built  entirely  of  lead.  The  twelve 
ravens  circled  above  it  and  in  front  of  it  stood  an  old 


THE  THREE  CITRONS  59 

woman  leaning  on  a  long  leaden  staff.  She  was  a 
Yezibaba.  Now  you  must  know  that  a  Yezibaba  is 
an  ugly  old  witch  with  a  hooked  nose,  a  bristly  face, 
and  long  scrawny  hands.  She's  a  bad  old  thing  usually, 
but  sometimes,  if  you  take  her  fancy,  she's  kind. 

This  time  when  she  looked  the  prince  over  she  shook 
her  head  at  him  in  a  friendly  way. 

"  Yi,  yi,  my  boy,  how  did  you  get  here?  Why,  not 
even  a  little  bird  or  a  tiny  butterfly  comes  here,  much 
less  a  human  being!  You'd  better  escape  if  life  is  dear 
to  you,  or  my  son,  when  he  comes  home,  will  eat  you!  " 

"  No,  no,  old  mother,  don't  make  me  go,"  begged 
the  prince.  "  I  have  come  to  you  for  advice  to  know 
whether  you  can  tell  me  anything  about  the  Glass  Hill 
and  the  Three  Citrons." 

"  No,  I  have  never  heard  a  word  about  the  Glass 
Hill,"  Yezibaba  said.  "  But  wait  until  my  son  comes. 
He  may  be  able  to  tell  you  something.  Yes,  yes,  I'll 
manage  to  save  you  somehow.  Go  hide  under  the 
besom  and  stay  there  until  I  call  you." 

The  mountains  rumbled  and  the  castle  trembled  and 
Yezibaba  whispered  to  the  prince  that  her  son  was 
coming. 

"Phew!  Phew!  I  smell  human  meat!  I'll  eat 
it! "  shouted  Yezibaba's  son  while  he  was  still  in  the 


60  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

doorway.  He  struck  the  ground  with  his  leaden  club 
and  the  whole  castle  shook. 

"  No,  no,  my  son,  don't  talk  that  way.  It's  true 
there  is  a  pretty  youth  here,  but  he's  come  to  ask  you 
about  something." 

"  Well,  if  he  wants  to  ask  me  something,  let  him 
come  out  and  ask." 

"  Yes,  my  son,  he  will,  but  only  when  you  promise 
me  that  you  \?ill  do  nothing  to  him." 

"  Well,  I  won't  do  anything  to  him.  Now  let  him 
come  out." 

The  prince  hidden  under  the  besom  was  shaking 
like  an  aspen  leaf,  for  when  he  peeped  through  the  twigs 
he  saw  an  ogre  so  huge  that  he  himself  would  reach  up 
only  to  his  knees.  Happily  the  ogre  had  guaranteed 
his  life  before  Yezibaba  ordered  him  out. 

"Well,  well,  well,  you  little  June  bug!"  shouted 
the  ogre.  "  What  are  you  afraid  of?  Where  have  you 
been?  What  do  you  want?  " 

"  What  do  I  want?  "  repeated  the  prince.  "  I  have 
been  wandering  in  these  mountains  a  long  time  and  I 
can't  find  what  I'm  seeking.  So  I've  come  to  you  to 
ask  whether  you  can  tell  me  something  about  the  Glass 
Hill  and  the  Three  Citrons." 

Yezibaba's  son  wrinkled  his  forehead.    He  thought 


THE  THREE  CITRONS  61 

for  a  moment  and  then,  lowering  his  voice  a  little,  he 
said:  "  I've  never  heard  of  any  Glass  Hill  around  here. 
But  I  tell  you  what  you  do:  go  on  to  my  brother  in 
arms  who  lives  in  the  Silver  Castle  and  ask  him. 
Maybe  he'll  be  able  to  tell  you.  But  I  can't  let  you  go 
away  hungry.  That  would  never  do!  Hi,  mother, 
bring  out  the  dumplings!  " 

Old  Yezibaba  placed  a  large  dish  on  the  table  and 
her  giant  son  sat  down. 

"Well,  come  on!    Eat!"  he  shouted  to  the  prince. 

When  the  prince  took  the  first  dumpling  and  bit 
into  it,  he  almost  broke  two  of  his  teeth,  for  the  dump- 
ling was  made  of  lead. 

"  Well,"  shouted  Yezibaba's  son,  "  why  don't  you 
eat?  Doesn't  the  dumpling  taste  good?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,  very  good,"  said  the  prince,  politely,  "  but 
just  now  I'm  not  hungry." 

"  Well,  if  you're  not  hungry  now  you  will  be  later. 
Put  a  few  in  your  pocket  and  eat  them  on  your 
journey." 

So,  whether  he  wanted  them  or  not,  the  prince  had 
to  put  some  leaden  dumplings  into  his  pocket.  Then 
he  took  his  leave  of  Yezibaba  and  her  son  and 
traveled  on. 

He  went  on  and  on  for  three  days  and  three  nights. 


62  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

The  farther  he  went,  the  more  inhospitable  became  the 
country.  Before  him  stretched  a  waste  of  mountains, 
behind  him  a  waste  of  mountains  with  no  living  crea- 
ture in  sight. 

Wearied  with  his  long  journey,  he  threw  himself  on 
ttie  ground.  His  silver  sword  clanked  sharply  and  at 
Us  sound  twenty-four  ravens  circled  above  him,  cawed 
in  fright,  and  flew  away. 

"  A  good  sign!  "  cried  the  prince.  "  I'll  follow  the 
ravens  again! " 

So  on  he  went  as  fast  as  his  legs  could  carry  him 
until  he  came  in  sight  of  a  tall  castle.  It  was  still 
far  away,  but  even  at  that  distance  it  shone  and  flashed, 
for  it  was  built  of  pure  silver. 

In  front  of  the  castle  stood  an  old  woman,  bent 
with  age,  and  leaning  on  a  long  silver  staff.  This  was 
the  second  Yezibaba. 

"  Yi,  yi,  my  boy !  "  she  cried.  "  How  did  you  get 
here?  Why,  not  even  a  little  bird  or  a  tiny  butterfly 
comes  here,  much  less  a  human  being.  You'd  better 
escape  if  life  is  dear  to  you,  or  my  son,  when  he  comes 
home,  will  eat  you!  " 

"  No,  no,  old  mother,  he  won't  eat  me.  I  bring 
greetings  from  his  brother  of  the  Leaden  Castle." 

"Well,  if  you  bring  greetings  from  the  Leaden 


THE  THREE  CITRONS  63 

Castle  you  are  safe  enough.  Come  in,  my  boy,  and 
tell  me  your  business." 

"  My  business  ?  For  a  long  time,  old  mother,  I've 
been  looking  for  the  Glass  Hill  and  the  Three  Citrons, 
but  I  can't  find  them.  So  I've  come  to  ask  you  whether 
you  could  tell  me  something  about  them." 

"  No,  my  boy,  I  don't  know  anything  about  the 
Glass  Hill.  But  wait  until  my  son  comes.  Perhaps 
he  can  help  you.  In  the  meantime  hide  yourself  under 
the  bed  and  don't  come  out  until  I  call  you." 

The  mountains  rumbled  and  the  castle  trembled  and 
the  prince  knew  that  Yezibaba's  son  was  coming  home. 

"Phew!  Phew!  I  smell  human  meat!  I'll  eat 
it!  "  bellowed  the  mighty  fellow.  He  stood  in  the  door- 
way and  banged  the  ground  with  his  silver  club  until 
the  whole  castle  shook. 

"  No,  no,  my  son,"  said  Yezibaba,  "  don't  talk  that 
way!  A  pretty  little  chap  has  come  bringing  you 
greetings  from  your  brother  of  the  Leaden  Castle." 

"  Well,  if  he's  been  at  the  Leaden  Castle  and  came 
to  no  harm,  he'll  have  nothing  to  fear  from  me  either. 
Where  is  he?" 

The  prince  slipped  out  from  under  the  bed  and 
stood  before  the  ogre.  Looking  up  at  him  was  like 
looking  at  the  top  of  the  tallest  pine  tree. 


64  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

"Well,  little  June  bug,  so  you've  been  at  my 
brother's,  eh?" 

"Yes,"  said  the  prince.  "See,  I  still  have  the 
dumplings  he  gave  me  for  the  journey." 

"  I  believe  you.    Well,  what  do  you  want?  " 

"  What  do  I  want?  I  came  to  ask  you  whether  you 
could  tell  me  something  about  the  Glass  Hill  and  the 
Three  Citrons." 

"  H'm,  it  seems  to  me  I  used  to  hear  something 
about  them,  but  I  forget.  I  tell  you  what  you  do: 
go  to  my  brother  of  the  Golden  Castle  and  ask  him. 
But  wait!  I  can't  let  you  go  away  hungry.  Hi, 
mother,  bring  out  the  dumplings !  " 

Yezibaba  brought  the  dumplings  on  a  large  silver 
dish  and  put  them  on  the  table. 

"Eat!"  shouted  her  son. 

The  prince  saw  they  were  silver  dumplings,  so  he* 
said  he  wasn't  hungry  just  then,  but  he'd  like  to  take 
some  with  him  for  the  journey. 

"  Take  as  many  as  you  want,"  shouted  the  ogre. 
"  And  give  my  greetings  to  my  brother  and  my  aunt." 

So  the  prince  took  some  silver  dumplings,  made 
suitable  thanks,  and  departed. 

He  journeyed  on  from  the  Silver  Castle  three  days 
and  three  nights,  through  dense  forests  and  over  rough 


THE  THREE  CITRONS  65 

mountains,  not  knowing  where  he  was  nor  which  way 
to  turn.  At  last  all  worn  out  he  threw  himself  down 
in  the  shade  of  a  beech  tree  to  rest.  As  the  sword 
clanked  on  the  ground,  its  silver  voice  rang  out  and  a 
flock  of  thirty-six  ravens  circled  over  his  head. 

"Caw!  Caw!"  they  croaked.  Then,  frightened  by 
the  sound  of  the  sword,  they  flew  away. 

"Praise  God!"  cried  the  prince.  "The  Golden 
Castle  can't  be  far!" 

He  jumped  up  and  started  eagerly  off  in  the  di- 
rection the  ravens  had  taken.  As  he  left  a  valley  and 
climbed  a  little  hill  he  saw  before  him  a  beautiful  wide 
meadow  in  the  midst  of  which  stood  the  Golden  Castle 
shining  like  the  sun.  Before  the  gate  of  the  castle  stood 
a  bent  old  Yezibaba  leaning  on  a  golden  staff. 

"  Yi,  yi,  my  boy,"  she  cried  to  the  prince,  "  how  did 
you  get  here?  Why,  not  even  a  little  bird  or  a  tiny 
butterfly  comes  here,  much  less  a  human  being!  You'd 
better  escape  if  life  is  dear  to  you,  or  my  son,  when 
he  comes  home,  will  eat  you !  " 

"  No,  no,  old  mother,  he  won't  eat  me,  for  I  bring 
him  greetings  from  his  brother  of  the  Silver  Castle!" 

"  Well,  if  you  bring  greetings  from  the  Silver 
'Castle  you  are  safe  enough.  Come  in,  my  boy,  and 
tell  me  your  business." 


66  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

"  My  business,  old  mother?  For  a  long  time  I've 
been  wandering  over  these  wild  mountains  in  search  of 
the  Glass  Hill  and  the  Three  Citrons.  At  the  Silver 
Castle  they  sent  me  to  you  because  they  thought  you 
might  know  something  about  them." 

"  The  Glass  Hill?  No,  I  don't  know  where  it  is. 
But  wait  until  my  son  comes.  He  will  advise  you 
where  to  go  and  what  to  do.  Hide  under  the  table 
and  stay  there  till  I  call  you." 

The  mountains  rumbled  and  the  castle  trembled  and 
Yezibaba's  son  came  home. 

"Phew!  Phew!  I  smell  human  meat!  I'll  eat 
it!  "  he  roared.  He  stood  in  the  doorway  and  pounded 
the  ground  with  his  golden  club  until  the  whole  castle 
shook. 

"  No,  no,  my  son,"  said  Yezibaba,  "  don't  talk  that 
way!  A  pretty  little  fellow  has  come  bringing  you 
greetings  from  your  brother  of  the  Silver  Castle.  If 
you  won't  harm  him,  I'll  call  him  out." 

"  Well,  if  my  brother  didn't  do  anything  to  him,  I 
won't  either." 

So  the  prince  crawled  out  from  under  the  table  and 
stood  before  the  giant.  It  was  like  standing  beneath  a 
high  tower.  He  showed  the  ogre  the  silver  dumplings 
as  proof  that  he  had  been  at  the  Silver  Castle. 


THE  THREE  CITRONS  67 

"  Well,  well,  well,  my  little  June  bug,"  shouted  the 
monstrous  fellow,  "  tell  me  what  it  is  you  want!  I'll 
advise  you  if  I  can!  Don't  be  afraid!  " 

So  the  prince  told  him  the  purpose  of  his  journey 
and  asked  him  how  to  get  to  the  Glass  Hill  and  pluck 
the  Three  Citrons. 

"  Do  you  see  that  blackish  lump  over  yonder? " 
the  ogre  said,  pointing  with  his  golden  club.  "  That 
is  the  Glass  Hill.  On  that  hill  stands  a  tree.  From 
that  tree  hang  the  Three  Citrons  which  send  out  fra- 
grance for  seven  miles  around.  You  will  climb  the  Glass 
Hill,  kneel  beneath  the  tree,  and  reach  up  your  hands. 
If  the  citrons  are  destined  for  you  they  will  fall  into 
your  hands  of  their  own  accord.  If  they  are  not  des- 
tined for  you,  you  will  not  be  able  to  pluck  them  no 
matter  what  you  do.  As  you  return,  if  you  are  hungry 
or  thirsty,  cut  open  one  of  the  citrons  and  you  will 
have  food  and  drink  in  plenty.  Go  now  with  God's 
blessing.  But  wait!  I  can't  let  you  go  away  hungry! 
Hi,  mother,  bring  out  the  dumplings !  " 

Yezibaba  set  a  large  golden  dish  on  the  table. 

"Eat!"  her  son  shouted.  "Or,  if  you  are  not 
hungry  just  now,  put  some  in  your  pocket  and  eat 
them  on  the  way." 

The  prince  said  that  he  was  not  hungry  but  that 


68  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

he  would  be  glad  to  take  some  of  the  golden  dumplings 
with  him  and  eat  them  later.  Then  he  thanked  the  ogre 
most  courteously  for  his  hospitality  and  advice  and 
took  his  leave. 

He  trudged  quickly  on  from  hill  to  dale,  from  dale 
to  hill  again,  and  never  stopped  until  he  reached  the 
Glass  Hill  itself.  Then  he  stood  still  as  if  turned 
into  stone.  The  hill  was  high  and  steep  and  smooth 
with  not  so  much  as  a  scratch  on  its  surface.  Over  its 
top  spread  out  the  branches  of  the  magic  tree  upon 
which  hung  the  Three  Citrons.  Their  fragrance  was 
so  powerful  that  the  prince  almost  fainted. 

"Let  it  be  as  God  wills!"  he  thought  to  himself. 
"  But  however  the  adventure  is  to  come  out,  now  that 
I'm  here  I  must  at  least  make  the  attempt." 

So  he  began  to  claw  his  way  up  the  smooth  glass, 
but  he  hadn't  gone  many  yards  before  his  foot  slipped 
and  down  he  went  so  hard  that  he  didn't  know  where 
he  was  or  what  had  happened  to  him  until  he  found 
himself  sitting  on  the  ground. 

In  his  vexation  he  began  to  throw  away  the  dump- 
lings, thinking  that  perhaps  their  weight  had  dragged 
him  down.  He  took  one  and  threw  it  straight  at  the 
hill.  Imagine  his  surprise  to  see  it  fix  itself  firmly  in 
the  glass.  He  threw  a  second  and  a  third  and  there  he 


THE  THREE  CITRONS  69 

had  three  steps  on  which  he  was  able  to  stand  with 
safety ! 

The  prince  was  overjoyed.  He  threw  dumpling  after 
dumpling  and  each  one  of  them  became  a  step.  First 
he  threw  the  leaden  ones,  then  the  silver  ones,  and  last 
of  all  the  golden  ones.  On  the  steps  made  in  this  way 
he  climbed  higher  and  higher  until  he  had  reached 
the  very  summit  of  the  hill.  Then  he  knelt  under  the 
magic  tree,  lifted  up  his  hands,  and  into  them  the 
Three  Citrons  dropped  of  their  own  accord ! 

Instantly  the  tree  disappeared,  the  Glass  Hill  sank 
until  it  was  lost,  and  when  the  prince  came  to  himself 
there  was  neither  tree  nor  hill  to  be  seen,  but  only  a 
wide  plain. 

Delighted  with  the  outcome  of  his  adventure,  the 
prince  turned  homewards.  At  first  he  was  too  happy 
even  to  eat  or  drink.  By  the  third  day  his  stomach 
began  to  protest  and  he  discovered  that  he  was  so 
hungry  that  he  would  have  fallen  ravenously  upon  a 
leaden  dumpling  if  he  had  had  one  in  his  pocket.  But 
his  pocket,  alas,  was  empty,  and  the  country  all  about 
was  as  bare  as  the  palm  of  his  hand. 

Then  he  remembered  what  the  ogre  of  the  Golden 
'Castle  had  told  him  and  he  took  out  one  of  the  Three 
Citrons.  He  cut  it  open,  and  what  do  you  suppose 


70  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

happened?  Out  jumped  a  beautiful  maiden  fresh  from 
the  hand  of  God,  who  bowed  low  before  him  and 
exclaimed: 

"  Have  you  food  ready  for  me?  Have  you  drink 
ready  for  me?  Have  you  pretty  clothes  ready  for 
me?" 

"  Alas,  beautiful  creature,"  the  prince  sighed,  "  I 
have  not.  I  have  nothing  for  you  to  eat  or  to  drink 
or  to  put  on." 

The  lovely  maiden  clapped  her  hands  three  times, 
bowed  before  him,  and  disappeared. 

"  Ah,"  said  the  prince,  "  now  I  know  what  kind  of 
citrons  you  are!  I'll  think  twice  before  opening  one 
of  you  again! " 

Of  the  one  he  had  opened  he  ate  and  drank  his 
fill,  and  so  refreshed,  went  on.  He  traveled  three  days 
and  three  nights  and  by  that  time  he  began  to  feel 
three  times  hungrier  than  before. 

"  God  help  me!  "  thought  he.  "  I  must  eat  some- 
thing! There  are  still  two  citrons  and  if  I  cut  open 
one  there  would  still  be  one  left." 

So  he  took  out  the  second  citron,  cut  it  in  two,  and 
lo,  a  maiden  twice  as  beautiful  as  the  first  stood  before 
him.  She  bowed  low  and  said: 

"Have  you  food  ready  for  me?    Have  you  drink 


THE  THREE  CITRONS  71 

ready  for  me?  Have  you  pretty  clothes  ready  for 
me?" 

"No,  lovely  creature,  I  haven't!    I  haven't!" 

The  maiden  clapped  her  hands  thrice,  bowed  before 
him,  and  disappeared. 

Now  there  was  only  one  citron  left.  The  prince 
took  it  in  his  hand,  looked  at  it,  and  said :  "  I  won't 
cut  you  open  until  I'm  safe  at  home  in  my  father's 
house." 

He  took  up  his  journey  again  and  on  the  third 
day  he  came  to  his  native  town  and  his  father's  castle. 
He  had  been  gone  a  long  time  and  how  he  ever  got 
back  he  didn't  know  himself. 

Tears  of  joy  rained  down  the  old  king's  cheeks. 

"  Welcome  home,  my  son,  welcome  a  hundred 
times ! "  he  cried,  falling  on  the  prince's  neck. 

The  prince  related  the  adventures  of  his  journey 
and  they  at  home  told  him  how  anxiously  they  had 
awaited  his  return. 

On  the  next  day  a  great  feast  was  prepared.  All 
the  nobles  in  the  land  were  invited.  The  tables  were 
spread  with  food  and  drink  the  most  expensive  in  the 
world  and  many  rich  dresses  embroidered  in  gold  and 
studded  with  pearls  were  laid  out. 

The  guests   assembled,   seated  themselves   at  the 


72  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

tables,  and  waited.  Music  played  and  when  all  was 
ready,  the  prince  took  the  last  citron  and  cut  it  in  two. 
Out  jumped  a  beautiful  creature,  three  times  lovelier 
than  the  others. 

"  Have  you  food  ready  for  me?  "  she  cried.  "  Have 
you  drink  ready  for  me?  Have  you  pretty  clothes 
ready  for  me? " 

"  I  have  indeed,  dear  heart! "  the  prince  answered. 
"  I  have  everything  ready  for  you!  " 

He  led  her  to  the  gorgeous  clothes  and  she  dressed 
herself  in  them  and  every  one  present  marveled  at  her 
great  beauty. 

Soon  the  betrothal  took  place  and  after  the  be- 
trothal a  magnificent  wedding. 

So  now  the  old  king's  wish  was  fulfilled.  He 
blessed  his  son,  gave  over  the  kingdom  to  him,  and  not 
long  afterwards  he  died. 

The  first  thing  that  faced  the  young  king  after 
his  father's  death  was  a  war  which  a  neighboring  king 
stirred  up  against  him.  So  the  young  king  had  to 
bid  farewell  to  the  bride  whom  he  had  won  so  dearly 
and  lead  his  men  to  battle.  In  order  that  nothing 
happen  to  the  queen  in  his  absence,  he  built  a  golden 
throne  for  her  in  the  garden  beside  the  lake.  This 
throne  was  as  high  as  a  tower  and  no  one  could  ascend 


Music  Played 


THE  THREE  CITRONS  73 

it  except  those  to  whom  the  queen  let  down  a  silken 
cord. 

Not  far  from  the  king's  castle  lived  the  old  woman 
who,  in  the  first  place,  had  told  him  about  the  Three 
Citrons.  She  knew  well  enough  how  the  young  king 
had  won  his  bride  and  she  was  deeply  incensed  that  he 
had  not  invited  her  to  the  wedding  and  in  fact  had  not 
even  thanked  her  for  her  good  advice. 

Now  this  old  woman  had  a  gipsy  for  servant  whom 
she  used  to  send  to  the  lake  for  water.  One  day  when 
this  gipsy  was  filling  her  pitcher,  she  saw  in  the  lake 
a  beautiful  reflection.  She  supposed  it  was  a  reflection 
of  herself. 

"  Is  it  right,"  she  cried  out,  "  that  so  lovely  a  crea- 
ture as  I  should  carry  water  for  that  old  witch? " 

In  a  fury  she  threw  the  pitcher  on  the  ground  and 
broke  it  into  a  hundred  pieces.  Then  she  looked  up 
and  discovered  that  it  wasn't  her  own  reflection  she  had 
seen  in  the  water  but  that  of  the  beautiful  queen. 

Ashamed  of  herself,  she  picked  up  the  broken 
pitcher  and  went  home.  The  old  woman,  who  knew 
beforehand  what  had  happened,  went  out  to  meet  her 
with  a  new  pitcher. 

"  It's  no  matter  about  the  pitcher,"  the  old  woman 
said.  "  Go  back  to  the  lake  and  beg  the  lovely  lady 


74  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

to  let  down  the  silken  cord  and  pull  you  up.  Tell  her 
you  will  comb  her  hair.  When  she  pulls  you  up,  comb 
her  hair  until  she  falls  asleep.  Then  stick  this  pin 
into  her  head.  After  that  you  can  dress  yourself  up 
in  her  clothes  and  sit  there  like  a  queen." 

It  was  easy  enough  to  persuade  the  gipsy.  She 
took  the  pitcher  and  the  pin  and  returned  to  the  lake. 

As  she  drew  water  she  gazed  at  the  lovely  queen. 

"  Oh,  how  beautiful  you  are ! "  she  whined,  leering 
up  at  the  queen  with  an  evil  eye.  "How  beautiful 
you  are!  Aye,  but  you'd  be  a  hundred  times  more 
beautiful  if  you  but  let  me  comb  out  your  lovely  hair! 
Indeed,  I  would  so  twine  those  golden  tresses  that 
your  lord  would  be  delighted!  " 

With  words  like  these  she  beguiled  and  coaxed 
the  queen  until  she  let  down  the  silken  cord  and  drew 
the  gipsy  up.  Once  on  the  throne,  the  wicked  gipsy 
combed  out  the  golden  tresses  and  plaited  them  and 
arranged  them  until  the  queen  fell  sound  asleep.  Then 
the  gipsy  took  the  pin  and  stuck  it  into  the  queen's  head. 
Instantly  a  beautiful  white  dove  flew  off  the  golden 
throne  and  not  a  trace  was  left  of  the  lovely  queen 
except  her  rich  clothing.  The  gipsy  dressed  herself 
in  this,  sat  in  the  queen's  place,  and  gazed  down  into 
the  lake.  But  in  the  lake  no  lovely  reflection  showed 


THE  THREE  CITRONS  75 

itself,  for  even  in  the  queen's  clothes  the  gipsy  remained 
a  gipsy. 

The  young  king  waged  a  successful  war  against  his 
enemies  and  made  peace.  Scarcely  had  he  got  home 
when  he  hurried  to  the  garden  to  see  whether  anything 
had  happened  to  his  heart's  delight.  Who  can  express 
in  words  his  astonishment  and  horror  when  instead  of 
his  beautiful  wife  he  saw  the  evil  gipsy! 

"Ah,  my  dearest  one,  how  you  have  changed!" 
he  murmured  and  tears  flowed  down  his  cheeks. 

"  Yes,  my  dear,  I  have  changed,  I  know  I  have," 
the  gipsy  answered.  "  It  was  grief  for  you  that  has 
broken  me." 

She  tried  to  fall  on  his  neck  but  the  king  turned 
quickly  away  and  left  her. 

From  that  time  forth  he  had  no  peace  but  day  and 
night  he  mourned  the  lost  beauty  of  his  wife  and 
nothing  consoled  him. 

Grieving  in  this  way  and  thinking  always  the  same 
sad  thoughts,  he  was  walking  one  day  in  the  garden 
when  suddenly  a  beautiful  white  dove  flew  down  from 
a  high  tree  and  alighted  on  his  hand.  She  looked  up 
at  him  with  eyes  as  mournful  as  his  own. 

"  Ah,  my  poor  dove,"  the  king  said,  "  why  are  you 
so  sad?  Has  your  mate  also  changed?" 


76  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

As  he  spoke  he  stroked  the  dove  gently  on  the 
back  and  on  the  head.  On  the  head  he  felt  a  little 
lump.  He  blew  aside  the  feathers  and  discovered  the 
head  of  a  pin.  He  pulled  out  the  pin  and  instantly 
the  sad  dove  changed  into  his  own  beautiful  wife. 

She  told  him  what  had  happened  to  her,  how  the 
gipsy  had  deceived  her  and  stuck  the  pin  into  her  head. 
The  king  had  the  gipsy  and  the  old  witch  caught  at 
once  and  burnt  at  the  stake. 

From  that  time  on  nothing  happened  to  mar  the 
king's  happiness,  neither  the  plots  of  his  enemies  nor 
the  spite  of  evil  people.  He  lived  in  love  and  peace 
with  his  beautiful  wife  and  he  ruled  his  kingdom  wisely. 
In  fact  he's  ruling  it  still  if  he  hasn't  died. 


PRINCE  BAYAYA 

THE  STORY  OF  A  MAGIC  HORSE 


PRINCE  BAYAYA 

WHILE  the  king  of  a  distant  country  was  off  at 
the  wars,  his  wife,  the  queen,  gave  birth  to  twin 
sons.    There  was  great  rejoicing  throughout  the  court 
and  immediately  messengers  were  despatched  to  the 
king  to  carry  him  news  of  the  happy  event. 

Both  boys  were  well  and  vigorous  and  shot  up  like 
little  trees.  The  one  who  was  about  a  moment  the 
older  was  the  hardier  of  the  two.  Even  as  a  toddling 
child  he  was  forever  playing  in  the  courtyard  and 
struggling  to  climb  on  the  back  of  a  horse  that  had 
been  given  him  because  it  was  just  his  own  age. 

His  brother,  on  the  other  hand,  liked  better  to  play 
indoors  on  the  soft  carpets.  He  was  always  tagging 
after  his  mother  and  never  went  outdoors  except  when 
he  followed  the  queen  into  the  garden.  For  this  reason 
the  younger  prince  became  the  mother's  favorite. 

The  boys  were  seven  years  old  before  the  king 
returned  from  the  wars.  He  looked  at  his  sons  with 
pride  and  joy  and  he  said  to  the  queen: 

79 


80  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

"  But  which  is  the  older  and  which  is  the  younger?  " 

The  queen,  thinking  that  the  king  was  asking  in 
order  to  know  which  was  the  heir  to  the  throne,  slipped 
in  her  favorite  as  the  older.  The  king,  of  course,  did 
not  question  his  wife's  word  and  so,  thereafter,  he 
always  spoke  of  the  younger  one  as  his  heir. 

When  the  boys  had  grown  into  handsome  youths, 
the  older  one  wearied  of  life  at  home  and  of  hearing 
his  brother  always  spoken  of  as  the  future  king.  He 
longed  to  go  out  into  the  world  and  seek  adventures 
of  his  own.  One  day  as  he  was  pouring  out  his  heart 
to  the  little  horse  that  had  been  his  companion  from 
infancy,  much  to  his  amazement  the  horse  spoke  to 
him  with  a  human  voice  and  said: 

"  Since  you  are  not  happy  at  home,  go  out  into  the 
world.  But  do  not  go  without  your  father's  permission. 
I  advise  you  to  take  no  one  with  you  and  to  mount  no 
horse  but  me.  This  will  bring  you  good  luck." 

The  prince  asked  the  horse  how  it  happened  that 
he  could  talk  like  a  human  being. 

"  Don't  ask  me  about  that,"  the  horse  said,  "  for 
I  can't  tell  you.  But  I  wish  to  be  your  friend  and 
counselor  and  I  will  be  as  long  as  you  obey  me." 

The  prince  promised  to  do  as  the  horse  advised. 
He  went  at  once  to  his  father  to  beg  his  leave  to  ride 


When  the  Boys  Had  Grown  into  Handsome  Youths 


PRINCE  BAYAYA  81 

out  into  the  world.  At  first  his  father  was  unwilling 
to  let  him  go  but  his  mother  gave  her  permission  at 
once.  By  dint  of  coaxing  he  finally  won  his  father's 
consent.  Of  course  the  king  wanted  the  prince  to  set 
forth  in  a  manner  befitting  his  rank  with  a  great  com- 
pany of  men  and  horses.  But  the  prince  insisted  that 
he  wished  to  go  unattended. 

"  Why,  my  dear  father,,  do  I  need  any  such  retinue 
as  you  suggest?  Let  me  have  some  money  for  the 
journey  and  let  me  ride  off  alone  on  my  own  little 
horse.  This  will  give  me  more  freedom  and  less 
trouble." 

Again  he  had  to  argue  with  his  father  for  some 
time,  but  at  last  he  succeeded  in  arranging  everything 
to  his  liking. 

The  day  of  parting  came.  The  little  horse  stood 
saddled  at  the  castle  gate.  The  prince  bade  farewell 
to  his  parents  and  his  brother.  They  all  wept  on  his 
neck  and  at  the  last  moment  the  queen's  heart  mis- 
gave her  for  the  deceit  she  had  practised  and  she  made 
the  prince  solemnly  promise  that  he  would  return  home 
within  a  year  or  at  least  send  them  word  of  his  where- 
abouts. 

So  the  prince  mounted  his  little  horse  and  off  they 
trotted.  The  horse  went  at  a  surprising  pace  for  an 


82  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

animal  that  was  seventeen  years  old,  but  of  course 
you  have  guessed  before  this  that  he  was  no  ordinary 
horse.  The  years  had  not  touched  him  at  all.  His 
coat  was  as  smooth  as  satin  and  his  legs  were  straight 
and  sound.  No  matter  how  far  he  traveled  he  was 
always  as  fresh  as  a  fawn. 

He  carried  the  prince  a  great  distance  until  they 
came  in  sight  of  the  towers  of  a  beautiful  city.  Then 
the  horse  left  the  beaten  track  and  crossed  a  field  to 
a  big  rock. 

When  they  reached  the  rock,  the  horse  kicked  it 
with  his  hoof  three  times  and  the  rock  opened.  They 
rode  inside  and  the  prince  found  himself  in  a  comfort- 
able stable. 

"  Now  you  will  leave  me  here,"  the  horse  said, 
"  and  go  on  alone  to  the  nearby  town.  You  must 
pretend  you  are  dumb  and  be  careful  never  to  betray 
yourself.  Present  yourself  at  court  and  have  the  king 
take  you  into  his  service.  When  you  need  anything, 
ho  matter  what  it  is,  come  to  the  rock,  knock  three 
times,  and  the  rock  will  open  to  you." 

The  prince  thought  to  himself:  "  My  horse  certainly 
knows  what  he's  about,  so  of  course  I'll  do  exactly  as 
he  says." 

He  disguised  himself  by  bandaging  one  eye  and 


PRINCE  BAYAYA  83 

making  his  face  look  pale  and  sallow.  Then  he 
presented  himself  at  court  and  the  king,  pitying  his 
youth  and  his  affliction  of  dumbness,  took  him  into 
his  service. 

The  prince  was  capable  and  quick  at  affairs  and  it 
wasn't  long  before  the  king  gave  over  to  him  the 
management  of  the  household.  His  advice  was  asked 
in  matters  of  importance  and  all  day  long  he  hurried 
about  the  castle  going  from  one  thing  to  another.  If 
'the  king  needed  a  scribe,  there  wasn't  a  cleverer  one 
anywhere  than  the  prince.  Everybody  liked  him  and 
everybody  was  soon  calling  him  Bay  ay  a,  because  those 
were  the  only  sounds  he  made. 

The  king  had  three  daughters,  each  more  beautiful 
than  the  other.  The  oldest  was  called  Zdobena,  the 
second  Budinka,  and  the  youngest  Slavena. 

The  prince  loved  to  be  with  the  three  girls  and  as 
he  was  supposed  to  be  dumb  and  in  his  disguise  was 
very  ugly,  the  king  made  no  objection  to  his  spending 
his  days  with  them.  How  could  the  king  possibly 
think  that  there  was  any  danger  of  Bayaya's  stealing 
the  heart  of  one  of  the  princesses  ?  They  liked  him,  all 
three  of  them,  and  were  always  taking  him  with  them 
wherever  they  went.  He  wove  garlands  for  them,  spun 
golden  thread,  picked  them  flowers,  and  drew  them 


84  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

designs  of  birds  and  flowers  for  their  embroidery.  He 
liked  them  all,  but  he  liked  the  youngest  one  best. 
Everything  he  did  for  her  was  done  a  little  better 
than  for  the  others.  The  garlands  he  wove  her  were 
richer,  the  designs  he  drew  for  her  were  more  beauti- 
ful. The  two  older  sisters  noticed  this  and  laughed, 
and  when  they  were  alone  they  teased  Slavena. 
Slavena,  who  had  a  sweet  and  amiable  disposition,  ac- 
cepted their  joking  without  retort. 

Bayaya  had  been  at  the  court  some  time  when  one 
morning  he  found  the  king  sitting  sad  and  gloomy  over 
his  breakfast.  So  by  signs  he  asked  him  what  was  the 
matter. 

The  king  looked  at  him  and  sighed.  "  Is  it  possible, 
my  dear  boy,"  he  said,  "  that  you  don't  know  what's  the 
matter?  Don't  you  know  the  calamity  that  threatens 
us?  Don't  you  know  the  bitter  three  days  that  are 
at  hand  for  me?" 

Bayaya,  alarmed  by  the  seriousness  of  the  king's 
manner,  shook  his  head. 

"  Then  I'll  tell  you,"  said  the  king,  "  although  you 
can  be  of  no  help.  Years  ago  three  dragons  came  fly- 
ing through  the  air  and  alighted  on  a  great  rock  near 
here.  The  first  was  nine-headed,  the  second  eighteen- 
headed,  and  the  third  twenty-seven-headed.  At  once 


PRINCE  BAYAYA  85 

they  laid  waste  the  country,  devouring  the  cattle  and 
killing  the  people.  Soon  the  city  was  in  a  state  of  siege. 
To  keep  them  away  we  placed  all  the  food  we  had  out- 
side the  gates  and  in  a  short  time  we  ourselves  were 
starving.  In  desperation  I  had  an  old  wise  woman 
called  to  court  and  asked  her  was  there  any  way  to 
drive  these  monsters  from  the  land.  Alas  for  me,  there 
was  a  way  and  that  way  was  to  promise  the  awful 
creatures  my  three  beautiful  daughters  when  they 
reached  womanhood.  At  that  time  my  daughters  were 
only  small  children  and  I  thought  to  myself  many 
things  might  happen  in  the  years  before  they  grew 
up.  So,  to  relieve  my  stricken  land,  I  promised  the 
dragons  my  daughters.  The  poor  queen  died  at  once 
of  grief,  but  my  daughters  grew  up  knowing  nothing 
of  their  fate.  As  soon  as  I  made  the  monstrous  bar- 
gain, the  dragons  flew  away  and  until  yesterday  were 
never  again  heard  of.  Last  night,  a  shepherd,  beside 
himself  with  terror,  brought  me  the  news  that  the 
dragons  are  again  settled  in  their  old  rock  and  are 
sending  out  fearful  roars.  Tomorrow  I  must  sacrifice 
to  them  my  oldest  child,  the  day  after  tomorrow  my 
second  child,  and  the  day  after  that  my  youngest. 
Then  I  shall  be  left  a  poor  lonely  old  man  with 
nothing." 


86  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

The  king  strode  up  and  down  and  tore  his  hair 
in  grief. 

In  great  distress  Bayaya  went  to  the  princesses. 
He  found  them  dressed  in  black  and  looking  ghastly 
pale.  They  were  sitting  in  a  row  and  bewailing  their 
fate  most  piteously.  Bayaya  tried  to  comfort  them, 
telling  them  by  signs  that  surely  some  one  would  ap- 
pear to  rescue  them.  But  they  paid  no  heed  to  him 
and  kept  on  moaning  and  weeping. 

Grief  and  confusion  spread  throughout  the  city, 
for  every  one  loved  the  royal  family.  Every  house 
as  well  as  the  palace  was  soon  draped  in  black  and 
the  sound  of  mourning  was  heard  on  every  side. 

Bayaya  hurried  secretly  out  of  the  city  and  across 
the  field  to  the  rock  where  his  magic  horse  was  stabled. 
He  knocked  three  times,  the  rock  opened,  and  he 
entered. 

He  stroked  the  horse's  shining  mane  and  kissed  his 
muzzle  in  greeting. 

"  My  dear  horse,"  he  said,  "  I  have  come  to  you 
for  advice.  Help  me  and  I  shall  be  happy  forever." 

So  he  told  the  horse  the  story  of  the  dragons. 

"  Oh,  I  know  all  about  those  dragons,"  the  horse 
answered.  "  In  fact,  it  was  that  you  might  rescue  the 
princesses  that  I  brought  you  here  in  the  first  place. 


PRINCE  BAYAYA  87 

Early  tomorrow  morning  come  back  and  I  will  tell  you 
what  to  do." 

Bayaya  returned  to  the  castle  with  such  joy  shin- 
ing in  his  face  that  if  any  one  had  noticed  him  he 
would  have  been  severely  rebuked.  He  spent  the  day 
with  the  princesses  trying  to  comfort  and  console  them, 
but  in  spite  of  all  he  could  do  they  felt  only  more  ter- 
rified as  the  hours  went  by. 

The  next  day  at  the  first  streak  of  dawn  he  was  at 
the  rock. 

The  horse  greeted  him  and  said:  "Lift  up  the 
stone  under  my  trough  and  take  out  what  you  find 
there." 

Bayaya  obeyed.  He  lifted  the  stone  and  under  the 
stone  he  found  a  large  chest.  Inside  the  chest  he  found 
three  beautiful  suits  of  clothing,  with  caps  and  plumes 
to  match,  a  sword,  and  a  horse's  bridle.  The  first 
suit  was  red  embroidered  in  silver  and  studded  with 
diamonds,  the  second  was  pure  white  embroidered  in 
gold,  and  the  third  was  light  blue  richly  embroidered 
with  silver  and  studded  with  diamonds  and  pearls. 

For  all  three  suits  there  was  but  one  mighty  sword. 
Its  blade  was  beautifully  inlaid  and  its  scabbard  shone 
with  precious  stones.  The  horse's  bridle  was  also  richly 
jeweled. 


88  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

"  All  three  suits  are  for  you,"  the  horse  said.  "  For 
the  first  day,  put  on  the  red  one." 

So  Bayaya  dressed  himself  in  the  red  suit,  buckled 
on  his  sword,  and  threw  the  bridle  over  the  horse's 
head. 

"Have  no  fear,"  the  horse  said  as  they  left  the 
rock.  "  Cut  bravely  into  the  monster,  trusting  to  your 
sword.  And  remember,  do  not  dismount." 

At  the  castle  heart-broken  farewells  were  being 
taken.  Zdobena  parted  from  her  father  and  her  sisters, 
stepped  into  a  carriage,  and  accompanied  by  a  great 
multitude  of  her  weeping  subjects  was  slowly  driven 
out  of  town  to  the  Dragon  Rock.  As  they  neared  the 
fatal  spot  the  princess  alighted.  She  took  a  few  steps 
forward,  then  sank  to  the  earth  in  a  faint. 

At  that  moment  the  people  saw  galloping  toward 
them  a  knight  with  a  red  and  white  plume.  In  a  voice 
of  authority  he  ordered  them  to  stand  back  and  leave 
him  to  deal  alone  with  the  dragon.  They  were  glad 
enough  to  lead  the  princess  away  and  they  all  went  to 
a  hill  near  by  from  which  they  could  watch  the  combat 
at  a  safe  distance. 

Now  there  was  a  deep  rumbling  noise,  the  earth 
shook,  and  the  Dragon  Rock  opened.  A  nine-headed 
monster  crawled  out.  He  spat  fire  and  poison  from 


PRINCE  BAYAYA  89 

all  his  nine  mouths  and  cast  about  his  nine  heads,  this 
way  and  that,  looking  for  his  promised  prey.  When 
he  saw  the  knight  he  let  out  a  horrible  roar. 

Bay  ay  a  rode  straight  at  him  and  with  one  blow  of 
his  sword  cut  off  three  of  his  heads.  The  dragon 
writhed  and  enveloped  Bayaya  in  flames  and  poisonous 
fumes.  But  the  prince,  undaunted,  struck  at  him  again 
and  again  until  he  had  cut  off  all  nine  heads.  The 
life  that  still  remained  in  the  loathsome  body,  the  horse 
finished  with  his  hoofs. 

When  the  dragon  had  perished  the  prince  turned 
and  galloped  back  the  way  he  had  come. 

Zdobena  looked  after  him,  wishing  she  might  follow 
him  to  thank  him  for  her  deliverance.  But  she  re- 
membered her  poor  father  sunk  in  grief  at  the  castle 
and  she  felt  it  was  her  duty  to  hurry  back  to  him  as 
quickly  as  she  could. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  describe  in  words  the 
king's  joy  when  Zdobena  appeared  before  him  safe 
and  uninjured.  Her  sisters  embraced  her  and  won- 
dered for  the  first  time  whether  a  deliverer  would  rise 
up  for  them  as  well. 

Bayaya  capered  happily  about  and  assured  them 
by  signs  that  he  was  certain  they,  too,  would  be  saved. 
Although  the  prospect  of  the  morrow  still  terrified 


90  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

them,  yet  hope  had  come  to  them  and  once  or  twice 
Bayaya  succeeded  in  making  them  laugh. 

The  next  day  Budinka  was  led  out.  As  on  the  day 
before,  the  unknown  knight  appeared,  this  time  wear- 
ing a  white  plume.  He  attacked  the  eighteen-headed 
dragon  and,  after  valiant  conflict,  despatched  him. 
Then  before  any  one  could  reach  him,  he  turned  and 
rode  away. 

The  princess  returned  to  the  castle,  grieving  that 
she  had  not  been  able  to  speak  to  the  knight  and  ex- 
press her  gratitude. 

"  You,  my  sisters,"  Slavena  said,  "  were  backward 
not  to  speak  to  him  before  he  rode  off.  Tomorrow  if 
he  delivers  me  I  shall  kneel  before  him  and  not  get  up 
until  he  consents  to  return  with  me  to  the  castle." 

Just  then  Bayaya  began  laughing  and  chuckling 
and  Slavena  asked  him  sharply  what  was  the  matter. 
He  capered  about  and  made  her  understand  that  he, 
too,  wanted  to  see  the  knight. 

On  the  third  day  Slavena  was  taken  out  to  the 
Dragon  Rock.  This  time  the  king  also  went.  The 
heart  of  the  poor  girl  quaked  with  terror  when  she 
thought  that  if  the  unknown  knight  failed  to  appear 
she  would  be  handed  over  to  the  horrible  monster. 

A  joyous  shout  from  the  people  told  her  that  the 


PRINCE  BAYAYA  91 

knight  was  coming.  Then  she  saw  him,  a  gallant  figure 
in  blue  with  a  blue  and  white  plume  floating  in  the 
wind.  As  he  had  killed  the  first  dragon,  and  the  second 
dragon,  so  he  killed  the  third  although  the  struggle  was 
longer  and  the  little  horse  had  much  to  do  to  stand  up 
against  the  poisonous  fumes. 

Instantly  the  dragon  was  slain,  Slavena  and  the 
king  rushed  up  to  the  knight  and  begged  him  to  return 
with  them  to  the  castle.  He  scarcely  knew  how  to  re- 
fuse, especially  when  Slavena,  kneeling  before  him, 
grasped  the  edge  of  his  tunic  and  looked  up  at  him 
so  bewitchingly  that  his  heart  melted  and  he  was  ready 
to  do  anything  she  asked. 

But  the  little  horse  took  matters  into  his  own  hands, 
reared  up  suddenly,  and  galloped  off  before  the  knight 
had  time  to  dismount. 

So  Slavena,  too,  was  unable  to  bring  the  knight 
back  to  the  castle.  The  king  and  all  the  court  were 
greatly  disappointed  but  their  disappointment  was 
swallowed  up  in  their  joy  that  the  princesses  had  been 
so  miraculously  saved. 

Shortly  after  this  another  disaster  threatened  the 
king.  A  neighboring  king  of  great  power  declared 
war  against  him.  The  king  sent  far  and  wide  and 
summoned  together  all  the  nobles  of  the  land.  They 


92  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

came,  and  the  king  when  he  had  laid  before  them  his 
cause  promised  them  the  hands  of  his  three  beautiful 
daughters  in  return  for  their  support.  This  was  in- 
ldeed  an  inducement  and  every  young  noble  present 
swore  his  allegiance  and  hurried  home  to  gather  his 
forces. 

Troops  poured  in  from  all  sides  and  soon  the  king 
was  ready  to  set  forth. 

He  handed  over  the  affairs  of  the  castle  to  Bayaya 
and  also  intrusted  to  him  the  safety  of  the  three  prin- 
cesses. Bayaya  did  his  duty  faithfully,  looking  after 
the  castle  and  planning  diversions  for  the  princesses  to 
keep  them  happy  and  cheerful. 

Then  one  day  he  complained  of  feeling  sick,  but 
instead  of  consulting  the  court  physician,  he  said  he 
would  go  himself  to  the  fields  and  hunt  some  herbs. 
The  princesses  laughed  at  his  whim  but  let  him  go. 

He  hurried  to  the  rock  where  his  horse  was  stabled, 
knocked  three  times,  and  entered. 

"  You  have  come  in  good  time,"  the  horse  said. 
"  The  king's  forces  are  weakening  and  tomorrow  will 
decide  the  battle.  Put  on  the  white  suit,  take  your 
sword,  and  let  us  be  off." 

Bayaya  kissed  his  brave  little  horse  and  put  on  his 
white  suit. 


PRINCE  BAYAYA  93 

That  night  the  king  was  awake  planning  the  mor- 
row's battle  and  sending  swift  messengers  to  his  daugh- 
ters instructing  them  what  to  do  in  case  the  day  went 
against  him. 

The  next  morning  as  the  battle  joined  an  unknown 
knight  suddenly  appeared  among  the  king's  forces. 
He  was  all  in  white.  He  rode  a  little  horse  and  he 
wielded  a  mighty  sword. 

He  struck  right  and  left  among  the  enemy  and  he 
caused  such  havoc  that  the  king's  forces  were  instantly 
heartened.  Gathering  around  the  white  knight  they 
fought  so  valiantly  that  soon  the  enemy  broke  and 
scattered  and  the  king  won  a  mighty  victory. 

The  knight  himself  was  slightly  wounded  on  the 
foot.  When  the  king  saw  this  he  jumped  down  from 
his  horse,  tore  off  a  piece  of  his  own  cape,  and  bound 
up  the  wound.  He  begged  the  knight  to  dismount  and 
come  with  him  to  a  tent.  But  the  knight,  thanking 
him,  refused,  spurred  his  horse,  and  was  gone. 

The  king  nearly  wept  with  disappointment  that 
the  unknown  knight  to  whom  he  was  under  one  more 
obligation  had  again  ridden  off  without  so  much  as 
leaving  his  name. 

With  great  rejoicing  the  king's  forces  marched 
home  carrying  vast  stores  of  booty. 


94  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

"Well,  steward,"  said  the  king  to  Bayaya,  "how 
have  the  affairs  of  the  household  gone  in  my  absence  ?  " 

Bayaya  nodded  that  everything  had  gone  well,  but 
the  princesses  laughed  at  him  and  Slavena  said: 

"  I  must  enter  complaint  against  your  steward,  for 
he  was  disobedient.  He  said  he  was  sick  but  he  would 
not  consult  the  court  physician.  He  said  he  wanted 
to  go  himself  and  get  some  herbs.  He  went  and  he 
was  gone  two  whole  days  and  when  he  came  back 
he  was  sicker  than  before." 

The  king  looked  at  Bayaya  to  see  if  he  was  still 
sick.  Bayaya  shook  his  head  and  capered  about  to 
show  the  king  that  he  was  all  right. 

When  the  princesses  heard  that  the  unknown  knight 
had  again  appeared  and  saved  the  day  they  were  un- 
willing to  become  at  once  the  brides  of  any  of  the 
nobles,  for  they  thought  the  knight  might  perhaps 
come  demanding  one  of  them. 

Again  the  king  was  in  a  quandary.  All  the  various 
nobles  had  helped  him  valiantly  and  the  question  now 
arose  to  what  three  of  them  would  the  princesses  be 
awarded.  After  much  thought  the  king  hit  upon  a 
plan  which  he  hoped  would  decide  the  matter  to  the 
satisfaction  of  them  all.  He  called  a  meeting  of  the 
nobles  and  said: 


PRINCE  BAYAYA  95 

"  My  dear  comrades  in  arms,  you  remember  that  I 
promised  the  hands  of  my  daughters  to  those  of  you 
who  would  support  me  in  battle.  All  of  you  gave  me 
valiant  support.  Each  of  you  deserves  the  hand  of  one 
of  my  daughters.  But,  alas,  I  have  only  three  daugh- 
ters. To  decide  therefore  which  three  of  you  my 
daughters  shall  marry  I  make  this  suggestion:  let  all 
of  you  stand  in  the  garden  in  a  row  and  let  each  of 
my  daughters  throw  down  a  golden  apple  from  a 
balcony.  Then  each  princess  must  wed  the  man  to 
whom  her  apple  rolls.  My  lords,  do  you  all  agree 
to  this?" 

The  nobles  all  agreed  and  the  king  sent  for  his 
daughters.  The  princesses,  still  thinking  of  the  un- 
known knight,  were  not  enthusiastic  over  this  arrange- 
ment, but  not  to  shame  their  father  they,  too,  agreed. 

So  each  of  the  girls,  dressed  in  her  loveliest,  took 
a  golden  apple  in  her  hand  and  went  up  to  a  balcony. 

Below  in  the  garden  the  nobles  stood  in  a  row. 
Bayaya,  as  though  he  were  a  spectator,  took  his  place 
at  the  end  of  the  line. 

First  Zdobena  threw  down  her  apple.  It  rolled 
straight  to  the  feet  of  Bayaya  but  he  turned  quickly 
aside  and  it  rolled  on  to  a  handsome  youth  who 
snatched  it  up  with  joy  and  stepped  from  the  line. 


96  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

Then  Budinka  threw  her  apple.  It,  too,  rolled  to 
Bayaya  but  he  cleverly  kicked  it  on  so  that  it  seemed 
to  roll  straight  to  the  feet  of  a  valiant  lord  who  picked 
it  up  and  then  looked  with  happy  eyes  at  his  lovely 
bride. 

Last  Slavena  threw  her  apple.  This  time  Bayaya 
did  not  step  aside  but  when  the  apple  rolled  to  him 
he  stooped  and  picked  it  up.  Then  he  ran  to  the 
balcony,  knelt  before  the  princess,  and  kissed  her  hand. 

Slavena  snatched  away  her  hand  and  ran  to  her 
chamber,  where  she  wept  bitterly  to  think  she  would 
have  to  marry  Bayaya  instead  of  the  unknown  knight. 

The  king  was  much  disappointed  and  the  nobles 
murmured.  But  what  was  done  was  done,  and  could 
not  be  undone. 

That  night  there  was  a  great  feast  but  Slavena 
remained  in  her  chamber  refusing  to  appear  among 
the  guests. 

It  was  moonlight  and  from  the  rock  in  the  field 
the  little  horse  carried  his  master  for  the  last  time. 
When  they  reached  the  castle  Bayaya  dismounted. 
Then  he  kissed  his  faithful  friend  farewell,  and  the 
little  horse  vanished. 

Slavena  still  sat  in  her  chamber,  sad  and  unhappy. 
When  a  maidservant  opened  the  door  and  said  that 


PRINCE  BAYAYA  97 

Bayaya  wished  to  speak  to  her,  the  princess  hid  her 
face  in  the  pillows. 

Presently  some  one  took  her  by  the  hand  and  when 
she  raised  her  head  she  saw  standing  before  her  the 
beautiful  knight  of  her  dreams. 

"Are  you  angry  with  your  bridegroom  that  you 
hide  from  him? "  he  asked. 

"Why  do  you  ask  me  that?"  Slavena  whispered. 
"  You  are  not  my  bridegroom.  Bayaya  is  my  bride- 
groom." 

"  I  am  Bayaya.  I  am  the  dumb  youth  who  wove 
you  garlands.  I  am  the  knight  who  saved  you  and 
your  sisters  from  death  and  who  helped  your  father  in 
battle.  See,  here  is  the  piece  of  your  father's  cape  with 
which  he  bound  up  my  wounded  foot." 

That  this  was  so  was  joy  indeed  to  Slavena.  She 
led  the  white  knight  into  the  banquet  hall  and  presented 
him  to  the  king  as  her  bridegroom.  When  all  had 
been  explained,  the  king  rejoiced,  the  guests  marveled, 
and  Zdobena  and  Budinka  looked  sideways  at  each 
other  with  little  gasps  of  envy. 

After  the  wedding  Bayaya  rode  away  with  Slavena 
to  visit  his  parents.  When  he  reached  his  native  town 
the  first  news  he  got  was  of  the  death  of  his  brother. 
He  hurried  to  the  castle  to  comfort  his  parents.  They 


98  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

were  overjoyed  at  his  return,  for  they  had  long  ago 
given  him  up  for  dead. 

After  a  time  Bayaya  succeeded  to  the  kingdom. 
He  lived  long  and  prospered  and  he  enjoyed  unclouded 
happiness  with  his  wife. 


KATCHA  AND  THE  DEVIL 

THE  STOEY  OF  A  CLINGING  VINE 


KATCHA  AND  THE  DEVIL 

THERE  was  once  a  woman  named  Katcha  who 
lived  in  a  village  where  she  owned  her  own  cottage 
and  garden.  She  had  money  besides  but  little  good 
it  did  her  because  she  was  such  an  ill-tempered  vixen 
that  nobody,  not  even  the  poorest  laborer,  would  marry 
her.  Nobody  would  even  work  for  her,  no  matter  what 
she  paid,  for  she  couldn't  open  her  mouth  without 
scolding,  and  whenever  she  scolded  she  raised  her  shrill 
voice  until  you  could  hear  it  a  mile  away.  The  older 
she  grew  the  worse  she  became  until  by  the  time  she 
was  forty  she  was  as  sour  as  vinegar. 

Now  as  it  always  happens  in  a  village,  every  Sun-    •f" 
day  afternoon  there  was  a  dance  either  at  the  burgo- 
master's, or  at  the  tavern.    As  soon  as  the  bagpipes     *' 
sounded,  the  boys  all  crowded  into  the  room  and  the 
girls   gathered   outside   and   looked   in  the  windows. 
Katcha  was  always  the  first  at  the  window.    The  music 
would  strike  up  and  the  boys  would  beckon  the  girls 
to  come  in  and  dance,  but  no  one  ever  beckoned  Katcha, 

101 


102  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

Even  when  she  paid  the  piper  no  one  ever  asked  her  to 
dance.  Yet  she  came  Sunday  after  Sunday  just  the 
same. 

One  Sunday  afternoon  as  she  was  hurrying  to  the 
tavern  she  thought  to  herself:  "  Here  I  am  getting  old 
and  yet  I've  never  once  danced  with  a  boy!  Plague 
take  it,  today  I'd  dance  with  the  devil  if  he  asked  me!  " 

She  was  in  a  fine  rage  by  the  time  she  reached  the 
tavern,  where  she  sat  down  near  the  stove  and  looked 
around  to  see  what  girls  the  boys  had  invited  to  dance. 

Suddenly  a  stranger  in  hunter's  green  came  in.  He 
sat  down  at  a  table  near  Katcha  and  ordered  drink. 
When  the  serving  maid  brought  the  beer,  he  reached 
over  to  Katcha  and  asked  her  to  drink  with  him.  At 
'first  she  was  much  taken  back  at  this  attention,  then 
she  pursed  her  lips  coyly  and  pretended  to  refuse,  but 
finally  she  accepted. 

When  they  had  finished  drinking,  he  pulled  a  ducat 
from  his  pocket,  tossed  it  to  the  piper,  and  called  out: 

"  Clear  the  floor,  boys!  This  is  for  Katcha  and  me 
alone!" 

The  boys  snickered  and  the  girls  giggled  hiding  be- 
hind each  other  and  stuffing  their  aprons  into  their 
mouths  so  that  Katcha  wouldn't  hear  them  laughing. 
But  Katcha  wasn't  noticing  them  at  all.  Katcha  was 


KATCHA  AND  THE  DEVIL  103 

dancing  with  a  fine  young  man!  If  the  whole  world 
had  been  laughing  at  her,  Katcha  wouldn't  have  cared. 

The  stranger  danced  with  Katcha  all  afternoon  and 
all  evening.  Not  once  did  he  dance  with  any  one  else. 
He  bought  her  marzipan  and  sweet  drinks  and,  when 
the  hour  came  to  go  home,  he  escorted  her  through  the 
village. 

"  Ah,"  sighed  Katcha  when  they  reached  her  cot- 
tage and  it  was  time  to  part,  "  I  wish  I  could  dance 
with  you  forever !  " 

"  Very  well,"  said  the  stranger.    "  Come  with  me." 

"Where  do  you  live?" 

"  Put  your  arm  around  my  neck  and  I'll  tell  you." 

Katcha  put  both  arms  about  his  neck  and  instantly 
the  man  changed  into  a  devil  and  flew  straight  down 
to  hell. 

At  the  gates  of  hell  he  stopped  and  knocked. 

His  comrades  came  and  opened  the  gates  and  when 
they  saw  that  he  was  exhausted,  they  tried  to  take 
Katcha  off  his  neck.  But  Katcha  held  on  tight  and 
nothing  they  could  do  or  say  would  make  her  budge. 

The  devil  finally  had  to  appear  before  the  Prince 
of  Darkness  himself  with  Katcha  still  glued  to  his  neck. 

"  What's  that  thing  you've  got  around  your  neck?  " 
the  Prince  asked. 


104  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

So  the  devil  told  how  as  he  was  walking  about  on 
earth  he  had  heard  Katcha  say  she  would  dance  with 
the  devil  himself  if  he  asked  her.  "  So  I  asked  her  to 
dance  with  me,"  the  devil  said.  "  Afterwards  just  to 
frighten  her  a  little  I  brought  her  down  to  hell.  And 
now  she  won't  let  go  of  me!  " 

"  Serve  you  right,  you  dunce! "  the  Prince  said. 
"  How  often  have  I  told  you  to  use  common  sense  when 
you  go  wandering  around  on  earth!  You  might  have 
known  Katcha  would  never  let  go  of  a  man  once  she 
had  him!" 

"I  beg  your  Majesty  to  make  her  let  go!"  the 
poor  devil  implored. 

"I  will  not!"  said  the  Prince.  "  You'll  have  to 
carry  her  back  to  earth  yourself  and  get  rid  of  her  as 
best  you  can.  Perhaps  this  will  be  a  lesson  to  you." 

So  the  devil,  very  tired  and  very  cross,  shambled 
back  to  earth  with  Katcha  still  clinging  to  his  neck. 
He  tried  every  way  to  get  her  off.  He  promised  her 
wooded  hills  and  rich  meadows  if  she  but  let  him  go. 
He  cajoled  her,  he  cursed  her,  but  all  to  no  avail. 
Katcha  still  held  on. 

Breathless  and  discouraged  he  came  at  last  to  a 
meadow  where  a  shepherd,  wrapped  in  a  great  shaggy 
sheepskin  coat,  was  tending  his  flocks.  The  devil  trans- 


KATCHA  AND  THE  DEVIL  105 

formed  himself  into  an  ordinary  looking  man  so  that 
the  shepherd  didn't  recognize  him. 

"  Hi,  there,"  the  shepherd  said,  "  what's  that  you're 
carrying? " 

"  Don't  ask  me,"  the  devil  said  with  a  sigh.  "  I'm 
so  worn  out  I'm  nearly  dead.  I  was  walking  yonder 
not  thinking  of  anything  at  all  when  along  comes  a 
woman  and  jumps  on  my  back  and  won't  let  go.  I'm 
trying  to  carry  her  to  the  nearest  village  to  get  rid 
of  her  there,  but  I  don't  believe  I'm  able.  My  legs  are 
giving  out." 

The  shepherd,  who  was  a  good-natured  chap,  said: 
"I  tell  you  what:  I'll  help  you.  I  can't  leave  my 
sheep  long,  but  I'll  carry  her  halfway." 

"  Oh,"  said  the  devil,  "  I'd  be  very  grateful  if  you 
did!" 

So  the  shepherd  yelled  at  Katcha:  "  Hi,  there,  you! 
Catch  hold  of  me!" 

When  Katcha  saw  that  the  shepherd  was  a  hand- 
some youth,  she  let  go  of  the  devil  and  leapt  upon  the 
shepherd's  back,  catching  hold  of  the  collar  of  his 
sheepskin  coat. 

Now  the  young  shepherd  soon  found  that  the  long 
shaggy  coat  and  Katcha  made  a  pretty  heavy  load  for 
walking.  In  a  few  moments  he  was  sick  of  his  bargain 


106  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

and  began  casting  about  for  some  way  of  getting  rid 
of  Katcha. 

Presently  he  came  to  a  pond  and  he  thought  to 
himself  that  he'd  like  to  throw  her  in.  He  wondered 
how  he  could  do  it.  Perhaps  he  could  manage  it  by 
throwing  in  his  greatcoat  with  her.  The  coat  was  so 
loose  that  he  thought  he  could  slip  out  of  it  without 
Katcha's  discovering  what  he  was  doing.  Very  cau- 
tiously he  slipped  out  one  arm.  Katcha  didn't  move. 
He  slipped  out  the  other  arm.  Still  Katcha  didn't 
move.  He  unlooped  the  first  button.  Katcha  noticed 
nothing.  He  unlooped  the  second  button.  Still  Kat- 
cha noticed  nothing.  He  unlooped  the  third  button 
and  kerplunk!  he  had  pitched  coat  and  Katcha  and  all 
into  the  middle  of  the  pond ! 

When  he  got  back  to  his  sheep,  the  devil  looked  at 
Tiim  in  amazement. 

"  Where's  Katcha? "  he  gasped. 

"  Oh,"  the  shepherd  said,  pointing  over  his  shoulder 
with  his  thumb,  "  I  decided  to  leave  her  up  yonder  in 
a  pond." 

"  My  dear  friend,"  the  devil  cried,  "  I  thank  you! 
You  have  done  me  a  great  favor.  If  it  hadn't  been 
for  you  I  might  be  carrying  Katcha  till  doomsday. 
'I'll  never  forget  you  and  some  time  I'll  reward  you. 


KATCHA  AND  THE  DEVIL  107 

As  you  don't  know  who  it  is  you've  helped,  I  must 
tell  you  I'm  a  devil." 

With  these  words  the  devil  vanished. 

For  a  moment  the  shepherd  was  dazed.  Then  he 
laughed  and  said  to  himself:  "Well,  if  they're  all  as 
stupid  as  he  is,  we  ought  to  be  able  for  them! " 

The  country  where  the  shepherd  lived  was  ruled 
over  by  a  dissolute  young  duke  who  passed  his  days 
in  riotous  living  and  his  nights  in  carousing.  He  gave 
over  the  aff airs  of  state  to  two  governors  who  were  as 
bad  as  he.  With  extortionate  taxes  and  unjust  fines 
they  robbed  the  people  until  the  whole  land  was 
crying  out  against  them. 

Now  one  day  for  amusement  the  duke  summoned 
an  astrologer  to  court  and  ordered  him  to  read  in  the 
planets  the  fate  of  himself  and  his  two  governors. 
When  the  astrologer  had  cast  a  horoscope  for  each 
of  the  three  reprobates,  he  was  greatly  disturbed  and 
tried  to  dissuade  the  duke  from  questioning  him  fur- 
ther. 

"  Such  danger,"  he  said,  "  threatens  your  life  and 
the  lives  of  your  two  governors  that  I  fear  to  speak." 

"  Whatever  it  is,"  said  the  duke,  "  speak.  But  I 
warn  you  to  speak  the  truth,  for  if  what  you  say  does 
not  come  to  pass  you  will  forfeit  your  life." 


108  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

The  astrologer  bowed  and  said:  "Hear  then,  oh 
Duke,  what  the  planets  foretell:  Before  the  second 
quarter  cf  the  moon,  on  such  and  such  a  day,  at  such 
and  such  an  hour,  a  devil  will  come  and  carry  off  the 
two  governors.  At  the  full  of  the  moon  on  such  and 
such  a  day,  at  such  and  such  an  hour,  the  same  devil 
will  come  for  your  Highness  and  carry  you  off  to 
hell." 

The  duke  pretended  to  be  unconcerned  but  in  his 
heart  he  was  deeply  shaken.  The  voice  of  the  astrolo- 
ger sounded  to  him  like  the  voice  of  judgment  and 
for  the  first  time  conscience  began  to  trouble  him. 

As  for  the  governors,  they  couldn't  eat  a  bite  of 
food  and  were  carried  from  the  palace  half  dead  with 
fright.  They  piled  their  ill-gotten  wealth  into  wagons 
and  rode  away  to  their  castles,  where  they  barred  all 
the  doors  and  windows  in  order  to  keep  the  devil  out. 

The  duke  reformed.  He  gave  up  his  evil  ways  and 
corrected  the  abuses  of  state  in  the  hope  of  averting  if 
possible  his  cruel  fate. 

The  poor  shepherd  had  no  inkling  of  any  of  these 
things.  He  tended  his  flocks  from  day  to  day  and 
never  bothered  his  head  about  the  happenings  in  the 
great  world. 

Suddenly  one  day  the  devil  appeared  before  him 


KATCHA  AND  THE  DEVIL  109 

and  said:  "  I  have  come,  my  friend,  to  repay  you  for 
your  kindness.  When  the  moon  is  in  its  first  quarter, 
'I  was  to  carry  off  the  former  governors  of  this  land 
because  they  robbed  the  poor  and  gave  the  duke  evil 
counsel.  However,  they're  behaving  themselves  now  so 
they're  to  be  given  another  chance.  But  they  don't 
know  this.  Now  on  such  and  such  a  day  do  you  go  to 
the  first  castle  where  a  crowd  of  people  will  be  as- 
sembled. When  a  cry  goes  up  and  the  gates  open  and 
I  come  dragging  out  the  governor,  do  you  step  up  to 
me  and  say:  '  What  do  you  mean  by  this?  Get  out  of 
here  or  there'll  be  trouble! '  I'll  pretend  to  be  greatly 
frightened  and  make  off.  Then  ask  the  governor  to 
pay  you  two  bags  of  gold,  and  if  he  haggles  just 
threaten  to  call  me  back.  After  that  go  on  to  the 
castle  of  the  second  governor  and  do  the  same  thing 
and  demand  the  same  pay.  I  warn  you,  though,  be 
prudent  with  the  money  and  use  it  only  for  good. 
When  the  moon  is  full,  I'm  to  carry  off  the  duke  him- 
self, for  he  was  so  wicked  that  he's  to  have  no  second 
chance.  So  don't  try  to  save  him,  for  if  you  do  you'll 
pay  for  it  with  your  own  skin.  Don't  forget!" 

The  shepherd  remembered  carefully  everything  the 
devil  told  him.  When  the  moon  was  in  its  first  quarter 
he  went  to  the  first  castle.  A  great  crowd  of  people 


110  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

was  gathered  outside  waiting  to  see  the  devil  carry 
away  the  governor. 

Suddenly  there  was  a  loud  cry  of  despair,  the 
gates  of  the  castle  opened,  and  there  was  the  devil, 
as  black  as  night,  dragging  out  the  governor.  He, 
poor  man,  was  half  dead  with  fright. 

The  shepherd  elbowed  his  way  through  the  crowd, 
took  the  governor  by  the  hand,  and  pushed  the  devil 
roughly  aside. 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  this?  "  he  shouted.  "  Get 
out  of  here  or  there'll  be  trouble ! " 

Instantly  the  devil  fled  and  the  governor  fell  on 
his  knees  before  the  shepherd  and  kissed  his  hands  and 
begged  him  to  state  what  he  wanted  in  reward.  When 
the  shepherd  asked  for  two  bags  of  gold,  the  governor 
ordered  that  they  be  given  him  without  delay. 

Then  the  shepherd  went  to  the  castle  of  the  second 
governor  and  went  through  exactly  the  same  perform- 
ance. 

It  goes  without  saying  that  the  duke  soon  heard  of 
the  shepherd,  for  he  had  been  anxiously  awaiting  the 
fate  of  the  two  governors.  At  once  he  sent  a  wagon 
with  four  horses  to  fetch  the  shepherd  to  the  palace  and 
when  the  shepherd  arrived  he  begged  him  piteously  to 
rescue  him  likewise  from  the  devil's  clutches. 


KATCHA  AND  THE  DEVIL  111 

"  Master,"  the  shepherd  answered,  "  I  cannot  prom- 
ise you  anything.  I  have  to  consider  my  own  safety. 
You  have  been  a  great  sinner,  but  if  you  really  want 
to  reform,  if  you  really  want  to  rule  your  people  justly 
and  kindly  and  wisely  as  becomes  a  true  ruler,  then 
indeed  I  will  help  you  even  if  I  have  to  suffer  hellfire 
in  your  place." 

The  duke  declared  that  with  God's  help  he  would 
mend  his  ways  and  the  shepherd  promised  to  come  back 
on  the  fatal  day. 

With  grief  and  dread  the  whole  country  awaited 
the  coming  of  the  full  moon.  In  the  first  place  the 
people  had  greeted  the  astrologer's  prophecy  with  joy, 
but  since  the  duke  had  reformed  their  feelings  for  him 
had  changed. 

Time  sped  fast  as  time  does  whether  joy  be  coming 
or  sorrow  and  all  too  soon  the  fatal  day  arrived. 

Dressed  in  black  and  pale  with  fright,  the  duke 
sat  expecting  the  arrival  of  the  devil. 

Suddenly  the  door  flew  open  and  the  devil,  black 
as  night,  stood  before  him.  He  paused  a  moment  and 
then  he  said,  politely: 

"  Your  time  has  come,  Lord  Duke,  and  I  am  here 
to  get  you!" 

Without  a  word  the  duke  arose  and  followed  the 


112  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

devil  to  the  courtyard,  which  was  filled  with  a  great 
multitude  of  people. 

At  that  moment  the  shepherd,  all  out  of  breath, 
came  pushing  his  way  through  the  crowd,  and  ran 
straight  at  the  devil,  shouting  out: 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  this?  Get  out  of  here  or 
there'll  be  trouble!" 

"What  do  you  mean?"  whispered  the  devil. 
"  Don't  you  remember  what  I  told  you? " 

"  Hush!  "  the  shepherd  whispered  back.  "  I  don't 
care  anything  about  the  duke.  This  is  to  warn  you! 
You  know  Katcha?  She's  alive  and  she's  looking  for 
you!" 

The  instant  the  devil  heard  the  name  of  Katcha 
he  turned  and  fled. 

All  the  people  cheered  the  shepherd,  while  the 
shepherd  himself  laughed  in  his  sleeve  to  think  that 
he  had  taken  in  the  devil  so  easily. 

As  for  the  duke,  he  was  so  grateful  to  the  shepherd 
'that  he  made  him  his  chief  counselor  and  loved  him  as 
a  brother.  And  well  he  might,  for  the  shepherd  was  a 
sensible  man  and  always  gave  him  sound  advice. 


THE  BETROTHAL  GIFTS 

THE  STOEY  OF  KUBIK  AND  THE  FROG 


THE  BETROTHAL  GIFTS 

A  FARMER  who  had  three  sons  was  much  trou- 
bled in  his  mind  as  to  how  he  should  leave  his 
property.  "  My  farm  is  too  small  to  divide,"  he  kept 
thinking  to  himself.  "  If  I  divide  it  into  three  equal 
parts  and  give  each  of  my  sons  one  part,  they  will  all  be 
poor  cottagers,  and  yet,  if  I  give  it  all  to  one  son,  I 
shall  be  unjust  to  the  other  two.  My  grandfather 
always  said  that  it  is  a  father's  duty  to  treat  all  his 
children  alike  and  I'm  sure  I  don't  want  to  depart 
from  his  teachings." 

At  last  he  called  his  sons  together  and  said:  "I 
have  hit  upon  a  plan  whereby  fate  shall  decide  which 
of  you  shall  be  my  heir.  You  must  all  go  out  into  the 
world  and  find  brides,  and  he  who  brings  back  as  a 
betrothal  gift  the  most  beautiful  ring  shall  have  the 
farm." 

The  sons  agreed  to  this  plan  and  the  next  day  they 
all  set  out  in  different  directions  in  quest  of  brides. 

Now  the  youngest  son,  whose  name  was  Kubik,  was 

115 


116  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

not  considered  as  bright  as  his  brothers,  for  he  was 
kind  to  beggars  and  he  never  drove  a  hard  bargain. 
His  brothers  often  laughed  at  him  and  his  father 
pitied  him,  for  he  thought  that  Kubik  was  too  gentle 
to  make  his  way  in  the  world. 

Kubik's  path  took  him  into  a  deep  forest.  He 
walked  on  and  on  until  suddenly  a  little  frog  hopped 
up  in  front  of  him  and  said: 

"Where  are  you  going,  Kubik?" 

Now  Kubik  had  never  in  all  his  life  heard  of  a  frog 
that  could  talk.  At  first  he  was  frightened  but  even  so 
lie  was  too  polite  not  to  answer  a  civil  question.  So 
he  told  the  frog  about  his  father  and  the  farm  and  the 
quest  for  betrothal  gifts  upon  which  he  and  his  brothers 
were  bound. 

The  frog  listened  and  when  he  was  finished  she  said: 
"  Come  with  me,  Kubik,  and  my  daughter,  Kachenka, 
will  give  you  a  more  beautiful  ring  than  any  your 
father  or  brothers  have  ever  seen." 

Kubik  hesitated,  but  at  last  not  to  hurt  the  frog's 
feelings  he  agreed.  "  But  if  your  daughter  Kachenka 
looks  like  you,"  he  thought  to  himself,  "  Heaven  help 
me,  for  she'll  be  a  pretty  dear  price  to  pay  for  a  farm!  " 
The  frog  led  him  to  a  deep  valley  at  one  side  of 
which  rose  a  high  rocky  cliff  that  was  honey-combed 


THE  BETROTHAL  GIFTS  117 

with  caverns.  The  frog  hopped  into  one  of  these  and 
called  out: 

"  Kachenka,  my  child,  where  are  you?  Here  is 
Kubik  come  to  woo  you  and  to  beg  a  betrothal  gift. 
Bring  out  your  little  box  of  rings." 

Instantly  a  second  frog  appeared  dragging  a  heavy 
jewel  casket.  Kachenka,  alas,  was  a  hundred  times 
uglier  than  her  mother.  Her  legs  were  crooked,  her 
face  was  all  covered  with  spots,  and  when  she  spoke 
her  voice  was  hoarse  and  croaking. 

For  a  moment  Kubik  shivered  and  turned  away  in 
disgust,  but  only  for  a  moment  until  he  remembered 
that  it  wasn't  Kachenka's  fault  that  she  was  a  frog. 

The  two  frogs  put  the  casket  before  him  and  opened 
it  and  Kubik  saw  that  it  was  rilled  with  a  collection  of 
the  rarest  and  most  beautiful  rings  in  the  world. 

"  Make  your  own  choice,  Kubik,"  the  old  frog  said. 

Kubik  selected  as  plain  a  ring  as  there  was,  for 
he  was  ashamed  to  take  one  of  the  handsomest. 

"Not  that  one!"  the  old  frog  said,  "unless  you 
want  your  brothers  to  laugh  at  you." 

Thereupon  she  herself  picked  out  the  ring  that  had 
the  biggest  diamond  of  them  all,  wrapped  it  up  care- 
fully in  paper,  and  handed  it  to  Kubik. 

"  Now  hurry  home,"  she  said,  "  for  your  brothers 


118  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

are  already  there  and  your  father  is  waiting  for  you." 

As  soon  as  Kubik  reached  home  the  farmer  called 
his  three  sons  together  and  demanded  to  be  shown 
their  betrothal  gifts. 

All  the  eldest  son  had  was  a  common  brass  ring. 

"  Urn,"  the  farmer  said,  shaking  his  head.  "  Well, 
put  it  away  for  a  keepsake." 

The  second  son  showed  a  silver  ring  that  was  worth 
a  few  cents  more. 

"  A  little  better,"  the  old  man  mumbled,  "  but  not 
good  enough  for  a  farmer.  Put  it  away  for  a  keepsake. 
And  now,"  he  said,  turning  to  his  youngest  son,  "  let 
us  see  what  Kubik  has  brought  from  his  promised 
bride." 

They  all  looked  at  Kubik,  and  Kubik  blushed  as 
he  felt  in  his  pocket  for  the  little  package. 

"  Ho,  ho!  "  his  brothers  laughed.  "  Kubik  has  such 
a  fine  ring  that  he  has  to  keep  it  wrapped  up." 

But  when  he  opened  the  paper  they  stopped  laugh- 
ing, and  well  they  might,  for  there  was  a  great  diamond 
that  sparkled  and  blazed  until  it  seemed  that  the  sun 
was  shining  in  the  room. 

"  Kubik! "  the  farmer  cried  when  at  last  he  found 
his  voice,  "where  did  you  get  that  ring?  You  must 
have  stolen  it,  you  wicked  boy! "  And  without  waiting 


THE  BETROTHAL  GIFTS  119 

to  hear  what  Kubik  had  to  say,  he  reached  for  a  whip 
and  trounced  the  poor  lad  to  within  an  inch  of  his  life. 
Then  he  took  the  ring  and  hid  it  carefully  away. 

"  Now,  my  boys,"  he  said  to  his  sons,  "  you  will  all 
have  to  make  another  trial.  This  time  ask  of  your 
promised  brides  the  gift  of  an  embroidered  kerchief 
and  he  who  brings  back  the  most  beautiful  kerchief 
shall  be  my  heir." 

So  the  next  day  the  three  sons  again  started  out, 
each  in  a  different  direction. 

Kubik  thought  to  himself:  "  I  won't  go  the  way  I 
went  yesterday  or  I  may  meet  that  old  frog  again  and 
then,  when  I  get  home,  the  only  prize  I'll  get  will  be 
another  beating." 

So  he  took  a  different  path  but  he  hadn't  gone  far 
before  the  old  frog  hopped  up  in  front  of  him. 

"What's  the  matter,  Kubik?"  she  asked. 

At  first  Kubik  didn't  want  to  tell  her  but  she 
questioned  him  and  finally,  not  to  seem  rude,  he  told 
her  about  the  beating  his  father  had  given  him  on 
account  of  Kachenka's  ring  and  about  the  new  quest 
for  embroidered  kerchiefs  upon  which  his  father  was 
now  sending  him  and  his  brothers. 

"  Now  don't  think  any  more  about  that  whipping," 
the  old  frog  advised  him.  "  And  as  for  an  embroidered 


120  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

kerchief,  why,  Kachenka  is  the  very  girl  for  that !  She 
will  give  you  one  that  will  make  your  brothers  open 
their  eyes ! " 

Kubik  wasn't  sure  that  he  wanted  to  accept  another 
of  Kachenka's  gifts,  but  the  old  frog  urged  him  and 
at  last  he  agreed.  So  again  they  took  the  path  to  the 
rocky  cliff.  The  old  frog  called  her  daughter  out  as 
before  and  presently  Kachenka  appeared  dragging  a 
chest  that  was  filled  with  the  most  wonderful  of  ker- 
chiefs, all  of  fine  silk  and  all  richly  embroidered  and 
so  large  that  they  were  more  like  shawls  than  kerchiefs. 

Kubik  reached  in  and  took  the  first  that  came  to 
hand. 

"Tut,  tut!"  the  old  frog  said.  "That's  no  way 
to  select  a  kerchief." 

Then  she  herself  picked  out  the  biggest  and  the 
most  richly  embroidered  of  them  all  and  wrapped  it 
up  in  paper.  She  gave  it  to  Kubik  and  said: 

"  Now  hurry  home,  for  your  brothers  are  already 
there  and  your  father  is  waiting  for  you." 

As  soon  as  Kubik  reached  home  the  farmer  called 
his  three  sons  together  and  demanded  to  be  shown  their 
betrothal  gifts. 

All  the  eldest  one  had  was  a  small  cheap  kerchief 
of  no  value  whatever. 


THE  BETROTHAL  GIFTS  121 

"  Um,"  the  farmer  said,  shaking  his  head.  "  Well, 
put  it  away  for  a  keepsake." 

The  kerchief  of  the  second  had  cost  a  few  cents 
more. 

"  A  little  better,"  the  old  man  mumbled.  "  Per- 
haps it's  good  enough  for  a  farmer.  And  now,"  he 
said,  turning  to  his  youngest  son,  "  let  us  see  what 
Kubik  has  brought  from  his  promised  bride." 

They  all  looked  at  Kubik,  and  Kubik  blushed  as  he 
pulled  out  a  parcel  from  under  his  shirt. 

"  Ho,  ho!  "  his  brothers  laughed.  "  Kubik  has  such 
a  fine  kerchief  that  he  has  to  keep  it  wrapped  up  in 
paper! " 

But  when  Kubik  opened  the  paper  they  stopped 
laughing,  and  well  they  might,  for  there  was  a  silken 
kerchief  so  big  that  it  could  have  covered  the  whole 
room  and  so  richly  embroidered  that  any  princess  in 
the  world  would  have  been  proud  to  own  it. 

"Kubik!"  the  farmer  cried  when  at  last  he  was 
able  to  speak,  "  where  did  you  get  that  kerchief?  You 
must  have  stolen  it,  you  wicked  boy !  "  And  without 
waiting  to  hear  what  Kubik  had  to  say,  he  reached 
down  the  whip  again  and  trounced  the  poor  boy  to 
within  an  inch  of  his  life.  Then  he  took  the  kerchief 
and  hid  it  carefully  away. 


122  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

"  Now,  my  sons,"  he  said,  "  you  will  all  have  to 
make  another  trial.  But  this  time  it  will  not  be  for  a 
ring  or  a  kerchief.  This  time  bring  home  your  brides 
and  he  whose  bride  is  the  most  beautiful  shall  be  my 
heir." 

So  the  next  day  the  three  sons  again  started  out, 
each  in  a  different  direction. 

"  I  don't  want  to  see  Kachenka  again,"  poor  Kubik 
said  to  himself.  "  Twice  I've  brought  back  the  best 
betrothal  gift  and  each  time  I've  got  a  beating  for  it. 
I  wonder  what  they  would  say  if  I  brought  home  a 
frog  for  a  bride !  Then  they  would  have  something  to 
laugh  at!" 

So  he  took  a  different  path  through  the  forest  but 
again  he  hadn't  gone  far  before  the  old  frog  hopped 
up  in  front  of  him.  This  time  Kubik  turned  and  ran. 
'The  old  frog  called  after  him  but  the  louder  she  called 
the  faster  he  ran. 

He  ran  on  and  on  until  suddenly  a  great  snake 
stopped  him.  The  snake  reared  high  its  head,  then 
dropped  into  a  coil.  Again  it  reared  up  and  swayed 
from  side  to  side  threatening  to  strike  if  Kubik  went 
on.  So  Kubik  saw  that  fate  was  determined  that  he 
should  marry  a  frog  and  reluctantly  he  turned  back. 

The  snake  led  him  to  the  cliff,  where  the  old  frog 


THE  BETROTHAL  GIFTS  123 

greeted  him  kindly  and  thanked  the  snake  for  his  faith- 
ful service. 

Poor  Kubik!  He  was  very  tired  and  very  un- 
happy. When  you  come  to  think  of  it,  who  wouldn't 
be  unhappy  at  the  prospect  of  being  united  for  life 
to  a  frog? 

Kubik  was  so  tired  that  presently  he  fell  asleep 
and  it  was  just  as  well  he  did,  for  at  least  in  dreams 
he  could  forget  his  troubles. 

The  next  morning  when  he  woke  and  rubbed  his 
eyes,  he  found  himself  lying  on  a  soft  feather  bed, 
white  as  snow,  in  a  splendid  room  with  decorations 
that  were  fit  for  a  king.  A  fine  silken  shirt  lay  spread 
out  on  a  chair  beside  the  bed  and  beyond  the  chair  was 
a  stand  with  a  silver  basin.  When  he  got  up  attendants 
came  running  in  carrying  clothes  of  richly  woven  cloth 
of  gold.  They  dressed  Kubik  and  they  combed  his 
hair  until  they  had  him  looking  like  a  young  prince. 
Then  they  brought  him  breakfast  and  there  was  cream 
with  the  coffee  and  I  would  have  you  know  that  this 
was  only  the  second  time  in  his  life  that  Kubik  had  ever 
had  cream  with  his  coffee! 

Kubik  did  not  know  what  to  think  of  it  all.  His 
head  went  round  and  round.  When  he  looked  out  the 
window  he  saw  no  trace  of  cliff  or  caverns  or  forest. 


124*  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

Instead  he  saw  a  big  town  with  streets  and  houses  and 
people  going  to  and  fro. 

Presently  music  began  to  play  under  the  window, 
a  great  crowd  gathered  and  soon  attendants  came  in 
to  escort  Lord  Kubik  out.  As  he  reached  the  castle 
gate,  the  people  cheered  and  a  coach  and  six  drove  up. 
Two  ladies  were  in  it,  a  mother  and  daughter,  both 
dressed  in  beautiful  silks.  They  alighted  from  the 
coach  and  when  they  saw  Kubik  they  smiled  and  came 
toward  him  with  outstretched  hands. 

"  You  don't  know  us,  do  you,  Kubik? "  the  older 
lady  said.  "  I  was  that  old  frog  who  coaxed  you  to 
the  cliff  and  this,  my  beautiful  daughter,  was  the  other 
little  frog,  the  very  ugly  one,  that  you  feared  you 
would  have  to  take  home  to  your  father's  house  as 
your  bride.  You  see,  Kubik,  we  were  all  under  an 
evil  enchantment.  Many  years  ago  a  wicked  magician 
brought  ruin  on  us  and  our  kingdom.  He  changed 
our  subjects  into  snakes  and  us  into  frogs  and  turned 
our  fine  city  into  a  rocky  cliff.  Nothing  could  break 
the  enchantment  until  some  one  should  come  and  ask 
a  betrothal  gift  from  my  daughter.  We  lived  in  the 
forest  for  years  and  years  and  all  those  years  I  begged 
all  the  people  who  wandered  by  to  help  us  but  they 
only  trod  on  us  or  turned  away  from  us  in  disgust. 


THE  BETROTHAL  GIFTS  125 

You,  Kubik,  were  the  first  not  to  scorn  us  for  our 
ugly  looks.  By  this  you  broke  the  evil  spell  that 
held  us  and  now  we  are  all  free.  As  a  reward  you  shall 
marry  my  daughter,  the  Princess  Kachenka,  and  be 
made  king! " 

Then  the  old  queen  took  Kubik  by  the  hand  and 
led  him  to  the  royal  coach,  where  she  made  him  sit  be- 
tween her  and  the  princess.  Music  played  and  the 
people  cheered,  and  in  this  style  they  drove  to  Kubik's 
native  village  and  to  his  father's  house. 

The  old  man  was  in  the  yard  chopping  firewood 
and  his  older  sons  were  helping  him.  They,  too,  had 
brought  home  their  brides,  plain  country  girls  from 
poor  farms,  and  at  that  moment  they  were  all  awaiting 
Kubik's  arrival. 

"Look,  father,"  the  oldest  son  cried,  "some  fine 
folk  are  turning  in  here!" 

"We're  not  behind  in  our  taxes,  are  we?"  the 
second  son  asked. 

"Hush!"  the  old  man  whispered.  "I  have  noth- 
ing to  fear.  My  affairs  are  all  in  good  order." 

He  put  his  cap  respectfully  under  his  arm  and  stood 
bareheaded  and  both  his  sons  followed  his  example. 

The  coach  drove  straight  into  the  yard  and  a  hand- 
some young  lord  and  two  beautiful  ladies  alighted. 


126  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

The  handsome  young  lord  greeted  the  old  man  and  his 
sons  and  they  bowed  and  scraped  and  pressed  their 
hats  under  their  arms  tighter  and  tighter. 

Then  they  all  stepped  into  the  old  kitchen  that 
was  black  with  the  smoke  of  many  years  and  the 
handsome  young  lord  sat  down  on  the  bench  behind 
the  table  as  though  that  was  where  he  always  sat.  The 
two  brothers  and  their  brides  shrank  back  against  the 
oven  and  held  their  breath. 

Then  the  handsome  young  lord  said  to  the  old  man: 
"Don't  you  know  me?" 

"Where  could  I  ever  have  seen  your  lordship?" 
the  farmer  asked,  humbly.  He  kept  bobbing  so  low 
it  was  a  wonder  he  didn't  bump  his  head  against  the 
floor. 

"  And  do  neither  of  your  sons  know  me?  I  think 
these  are  your  sons,  aren't  they? " 

The  farmer  kept  on  bowing  and  the  two  sons  looked 
down,  too  embarrassed  to  speak. 

At  length  the  handsome  young  lord  said :  "  What, 
don't  you  know  your  own  son,  Kubik,  whom  you  used 
to  beat  for  stealing  when  he  showed  you  his  betrothal 
gifts?" 

At  that  the  old  man  looked  at  him  closely  and 
cried  out:  "Bless  my  soul,  I  believe  it  is  our  Kubik! 


m 


Kubik  Greeting  His  Old  Fathei 


THE  BETROTHAL  GIFTS  127 

But  who  could  recognize  the  boy!  .  .  .  And  is  this 
his  bride?  That  settles  it!  Kubik  shaU  have  the  farm! 
Kubik  has  brought  home  the  most  beautiful  bride! " 

"  Kubik  doesn't  need  the  farm,"  the  old  queen 
Said,  "  nor  will  you  need  it  any  longer  nor  your  other 
sons.  You  will  all  come  home  with  us  to  our  kingdom 
over  which  Kubik  is  now  king.  And  may  God  grant 
you  many  years  to  live  on  in  peace  and  quiet." 

The  farmer  was  overjoyed  at  this  arrangement. 
He  embraced  his  son,  and  his  son's  bride,  and  his  son's 
royal  mother-in-law. 

He  gave  his  farm  to  the  poorest  man  in  the  village 
and  then  he  and  his  sons  accompanied  Kubik  back 
to  his  kingdom.  There  he  lived  long  in  peace  and 
comfort  enjoying  the  thought  that  good  fortune  had 
come  to  them  all  on  account  of  his  determination  not 
to  divide  the  farm. 

The  poor  man  who  inherited  the  farm  prayed  for 
him  and  his  sons  every  night  and  never  tired  of  telling 
the  story  of  how  Kubik  became  a  king  and  his  broth- 
ers courtiers. 

So  for  many  years  the  memory  of  Kubik  was  kept 
green.  Now  people  are  beginning  to  forget  him,  so 
I  thought  it  was  time  that  I  tell  his  story  agair 


GRANDFATHER'S  EYES 

THE  STORY  OF  THREE  WICKED  YEZINKAS 


GRANDFATHER'S  EYES 

ONCE  upon  a  time  there  was  a  poor  boy  whom 
everybody  called  Yanechek.  His  father  and 
mother  were  dead  and  he  was  forced  to  start  out  alone 
in  the  world  to  make  a  living.  For  a  long  time  he 
could  find  nothing  to  do.  He  wandered  on  and  on 
and  at  last  he  came  to  a  little  house  that  stood  by 
itself  near  the  edge  of  the  woods.  An  old  man  sat 
on  the  doorstep  and  Yanechek  could  see  that  he  was 
blind,  for  there  were  empty  holes  where  his  eyes  used 
to  be. 

Some  goats  that  were  penned  in  a  shed  near  the 
house  began  bleating  and  the  old  man  said: 

"You  poor  things,  you  want  to  go  to  pasture, 
don't  you?  But  I  can't  see  to  drive  you  and  I  have 
no  one  else  to  send." 

"  Send  me,  grandfather,"  Yanechek  said.  "  Take 
me  as  your  goatherd  and  let  me  work  for 
you." 

"  Who  are  you? "  the  old  man  asked. 

131 


132  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

Yanechek  told  him  who  he  was  and  the  old  man 
agreed  to  take  him. 

"  And  now,"  he  said,  "  drive  the  goats  to  pasture. 
But  one  thing,  Yanechek:  don't  take  them  to  the  hill 
over  there  in  the  woods  or  the  Yezinkas  may  get  you! 
That's  where  they  caught  me!" 

Now  Yanechek  knew  that  the  Yezinkas  were 
wicked  witches  who  lived  in  a  cave  in  the  woods  and 
went  about  in  the  guise  of  beautiful  young  women. 
If  they  met  you  they  would  greet  you  modestly  and 
say  something  like  "  God  bless  you! "  to  make  you 
think  they  were  good  and  kind  and  then,  once  they 
had  you  in  their  power,  they  would  put  you  to  sleep 
and  gouge  out  your  eyes!  Oh,  yes,  Yanechek  knew 
about  the  Yezinkas. 

"Never  fear,  grandfather,  the  Yezinkas  won't 
get  me!" 

The  first  day  and  the  second  day  Yanechek  kept 
the  goats  near  home.  But  the  third  day  he  said  to 
himself:  "I  think  I'll  try  the  hill  in  the  woods. 
There's  better  grass  there  and  I'm  not  afraid  of  the 
Yezinkas." 

Before  he  started  out  he  cut  three  long  slender 
switches  from  a  blackberry  bramble,  wound  them  into 
small  coils,  and  hid  them  in  the  crown  of  his  hat. 


GRANDFATHER'S  EYES  133 

Then  he  drove  the  goats  through  the  woods  where  they 
nibbled  at  leaves  and  branches,  beside  a  deep  river 
where  they  paused  to  drink,  and  up  the  grassy  slopes 
of  the  hffl. 

There  the  goats  scattered  this  way  and  that  and 
Yanechek  sat  down  on  a  stone  in  the  shade.  He  was 
hardly  seated  when  he  looked  up  and  there  before  him, 
dressed  all  in  white,  stood  the  most  beautiful  maiden 
in  the  world.  Her  skin  was  red  as  roses  and  white  as 
milk,  her  eyes  were  black  as  sloe  berries,  and  her  hair, 
dark  as  the  raven's  wing,  fell  about  her  shoulders  in 
long  waving  tresses.  She  smiled  and  offered  Yanechek 
a  big  red  apple. 

"  God  bless  you,  shepherd  boy,"  she  said.  "  Here's 
something  for  you  that  grew  in  my  own  garden." 

But  Yanechek  knew  that  she  must  be  a  Yezinka 
and  that,  if  he  ate  the  apple,  he  would  fall  asleep  and 
then  she  would  gouge  out  his  eyes.  So  he  said, 
politely:  "No,  thank  you,  beautiful  maiden.  My 
master  has  a  tree  in  his  garden  with  apples  that  are 
bigger  than  yours  and  I  have  eaten  as  many  as  I 
want." 

When  the  maiden  saw  that  Yanechek  was  not  to 
be  coaxed,  she  disappeared. 

Presently  a  second  maiden  came,  more  beautiful, 


134  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

if  possible,  than  the  first.  In  her  hand  she  carried  a 
lovely  red  rose. 

"  God  bless  you,  shepherd  boy,"  she  said.  "  Isn't 
this  a  lovely  rose?  I  picked  it  myself  from  the  hedge. 
How  fragrant  it  is!  WiU  you  smell  it?  " 

She  offered  him  the  rose  but  Yanechek  refused  it. 

"  No,  thank  you,  beautiful  maiden.  My  master's 
garden  is  full  of  roses  much  sweeter  than  yours  and  I 
smell  roses  all  the  time." 

At  that  the  second  maiden  shrugged  her  shoulders 
and  disappeared. 

Presently  a  third  one  came,  the  youngest  and  most 
beautiful  of  them  all.  In  her  hand  she  carried  a 
golden  comb. 

"  God  bless  you,  shepherd  boy." 

"  Good  day  to  you,  beautiful  maiden." 

She  smiled  at  Yanechek  and  said:  "  Truly  you  are 
a  handsome  lad,  but  you  would  be  handsomer  still  if 
your  hair  were  nicely  combed.  Come,  let  me  comb  it 
for  you." 

Yanechek  said  nothing  but  he  took  off  his  hat  with- 
out letting  the  maiden  see  what  was  hidden  in  its 
crown.  She  came  up  close  to  him  and  then,  just  as 
she  was  about  to  comb  his  hair,  he  whipped  out  one 
of  the  long  blackberry  switches  and  struck  her  over 


GRANDFATHER'S  EYES  135 

the  hands.  She  screamed  and  tried  to  escape  but  she 
could  not  because  it  is  the  fate  of  a  Yezinka  not  to 
be  able  to  move  if  ever  a  human  being  strikes  her 
over  the  hands  with  a  switch  of  bramble. 

So  Yanechek  took  her  two  hands  and  bound  them 
together  with  the  long  thorny  switch  while  she  wept 
and  struggled. 

"  Help,  sisters!    Help!  "  she  cried. 

At  that  the  two  other  Yezinkas  came  running  and 
when  they  saw  what  had  happened  they,  too,  began 
to  weep  and  to  beg  Yanechek  to  unbind  their  sister's 
hands  and  let  her  go. 

But  Yanechek  only  laughed  and  said :  "  No.  You 
unbind  them." 

"  But,  Yanechek,  how  can  we?  Our  hands  are  soft 
and  the  thorns  will  prick  us." 

However,  when  they  saw  that  Yanechek  was  not  to 
be  moved,  they  went  to  their  sister  and  tried  to  help 
her.  Whereupon  Yanechek  whipped  out  the  other  two 
blackberry  switches  and  struck  them  also  on  their  soft 
pretty  hands,  first  one  and  then  the  other.  After  that 
they,  too,  could  not  move  and  it  was  easy  enough  to 
bind  them  and  make  them  prisoners. 

"  Now  I've  got  the  three  of  you,  you  wicked 
Yezinkas !  "  Yanechek  said.  "  It  was  you  who  gouged 


136  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

out  my  poor  old  master's  eyes,  you  know  it  was!  And 
you  shall  not  escape  until  you  do  as  I  ask." 

He  left  them  there  and  ran  home  to  his  master  to 
whom  he  said:  "  Come,  grandfather,  for  I  have  found 
a  means  of  restoring  your  eyes!" 

He  took  the  old  man  by  the  hand  and  led  him 
through  the  woods,  along  the  bank  of  the  river,  and 
up  the  grassy  hillside  where  the  three  Yezinkas  were 
still  struggling  and  weeping. 

Then  he  said  to  the  first  of  them:  "  Tell  me  now 
where  my  master's  eyes  are.  If  you  don't  tell  me, 
I'll  throw  you  into  the  river." 

The  first  Yezinka  pretended  she  didn't  know.  So 
Yanechek  lifted  her  up  and  started  down  the  hill 
toward  the  river. 

That  frightened  the  maiden  and  she  cried  out: 
"Don't  throw  me  into  the  river,  Yanechek,  and  I'll 
find  you  your  master's  eyes,  I  promise  you  I  will! " 

So  Yanechek  put  her  down  and  she  led  him  to  a 
cave  in  the  hillside  where  she  and  her  wicked  sisters 
had  piled  up  a  great  heap  of  eyes — all  kinds  of  eyes 
they  were:  big  eyes,  little  eyes,  black  eyes,  red  eyes, 
blue  eyes,  green  eyes — every  kind  of  eye  in  the  world 
that  you  can  think  of. 

She  went  to  the  heap  and  picked  out  two  eyes 


GRANDFATHER'S  EYES  137 

which  she  said  were  the  right  ones.  But  when  the 
poor  old  man  tried  to  look  through  them,  he  cried  out 
in  fright: 

"  I  see  nothing  but  dark  treetops  with  sleeping 
birds  and  flying  bats!  These  are  not  my  eyes!  They 
are  owls'  eyes!  Take  them  out!  Take  them  out!" 

When  Yanechek  saw  how  the  first  Yezinka  had 
deceived  him,  without  another  word  he  picked  her  up, 
threw  her  into  the  river,  and  that  was  the  end  of  her. 

Then  he  said  to  the  second  sister:  "  Now  you  tell 
me  where  my  master's  eyes  are." 

At  first  she,  too,  pretended  she  didn't  know,  but 
when  Yanechek  threatened  to  throw  her  likewise  into 
the  river,  she  was  glad  enough  to  lead  him  back  to  the 
cave  and  pick  out  two  eyes  that  she  said  were  the  right 
ones. 

But  when  the  poor  old  man  tried  to  look  through 
them,  again  he  cried  out  in  fright:  "  I  see  nothing  but 
tangled  underbrush  and  snapping  teeth  and  hot  red 
tongues!  These  are  not  my  eyes!  They  are  wolves' 
eyes!  Take  them  out!  Take  them  out!  " 

When  Yanechek  saw  how  the  second  Yezinka  had 
deceived  him,  without  another  word  he  picked  her  up, 
and  threw  her  also  into  the  river,  and  that  was  the  end 
of  her. 


138  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

Then  Yanechek  said  to  the  third  sister:  "  Now  you 
tell  me  where  my  master's  eyes  are." 

At  first  she,  too,  pretended  she  didn't  know,  but 
when  Yanechek  threatened  to  throw  her  likewise  into 
the  river,  she  was  glad  enough  to  lead  him  to  the  cave 
and  pick  out  two  eyes  that  she  said  were  the  right 
ones. 

But  when  the  poor  old  man  tried  to  look  through 
them,  again  he  cried  out  in  fright:  "I  see  nothing 
but  swirling  waters  and  flashing  fins!  These  are  not 
my  eyes!  .They  are  fishes'  eyes!  Take  them  out! 
Take  them  out!" 

When  Yanechek  saw  how  the  third  Yezinka  had 
deceived  him,  without  another  word  he  was  ready  to 
serve  her  as  he  had  served  her  sisters.  But  she  begged 
him  not  to  drown  her  and  she  said: 

"  Let  me  try  again,  Yanechek,  and  I'll  find  you  the 
right  eyes,  I  promise  you  I  will! " 

So  Yanechek  let  her  try  again  and  from  the  very 
bottom  of  the  heap  she  picked  out  two  more  eyes  that 
she  swore  were  the  right  ones. 

When  the  old  man  looked  through  them,  he  clapped 
his  hands  and  said :  "  These  are  my  own  eyes,  praise 
God!  Now  I  can  see  as  well  as  ever!  " 

After  that  the  old  man  and  Yanechek  lived  on  hap- 


GRANDFATHER'S  EYES  139 

pily  together.  Yanechek  pastured  the  goats  and  the 
old  man  made  cheeses  at  home  and  they  ate  them  to- 
gether. And  you  may  be  sure  that  the  third  Yezinka 
never  showed  herself  again  on  that  hill! 


RATTLE-RATTLE-RATTLE  AND  CHINK- 
CHINK-CHINK 

THE  STORY   OF  LONG   BEARD,   THE  DWARF, 
AND  THE  TWO  SISTERS 


RATTLE-RATTLE-RATTLE  AND  CHINK- 
CHINK-CHINK 

THERE  was  once  a  poor  man  whose  wife  died 
leaving  him  a  daughter.  The  little  girl's  name 
was  Lenka.  She  was  a  good  little  girl,  cheerful  and 
obedient  and  very  industrious,  and  she  did  all  she 
could  to  make  her  father  comfortable. 

After  some  time  the  man  married  again.  His 
second  wife  also  had  a  little  girl  just  Lenka's  age. 
Her  name  was  Dorla.  Dorla  was  a  lazy,  ill-natured 
child,  always  quarreling  and  bickering.  Yet  her 
mother  thought  Dorla  was  perfect  and  she  was  always 
praising  her  to  her  husband. 

"  See  what  a  good  child  my  Dorla  is,"  she  would 
say  to  him.  "  She  works  and  spins  and  never  says  a 
cross  word.  Very  different  from  your  good-for-noth- 
ing Lenka  who  always  breaks  everything  she  touches 
and  does  nothing  in  return  for  all  the  good  food  she 
eats!" 

She  never  stopped  nagging  and  scolding  her  poor 

143 


144  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

stepchild  and  complaining  about  her  to  her  husband. 
Lenka  was  patient  and  went  on  quietly  doing  what 
was  right,  and  she  was  always  polite  to  her  step- 
mother, and  kind  to  her  ill-natured  stepsister. 

She  and  Dorla  used  to  go  to  spinning  bees  together. 
Dorla  would  play  and  waste  her  time  and  hardly  fill 
one  spindle.  Lenka  always  worked  industriously  and 
usually  filled  two  or  three  spools.  Yet,  when  the  two 
girls  got  home,  the  mother  always  took  Dorla's  half- 
filled  spindle  and  said  to  the  father:  "  See  what 
beautiful  yarn  my  Dorla  spins ! "  She  would  hide 
Lenka's  spools  and  say:  "  Your  Lenka  did  nothing  but 
play  and  waste  her  time!  " 

And  before  other  people  she  talked  the  same  way, 
pretending  Dorla  did  everything  that  she  didn't  do 
and  saying  that  good  industrious  Lenka  was  lazy  and 
good-for-nothing. 

One  night  when  the  two  girls  were  walking  home 
together  from  a  spinning  bee,  they  came  to  a  ditch  in 
the  road.  Dorla  jumped  quickly  across  and  then 
reached  back  her  hand  and  said: 

"  My  dear  sister,  let  me  hold  your  spindle.  You 
may  fall  and  hurt  yourself." 

Poor  Lenka,  suspecting  nothing  unkind,  handed 
Dorla  her  full  spindle.  Dorla  took  it  and  ran  home 


RATTLE  AND  CHINK  145 

and  then  boasted  to  her  mother  and  her  stepfather 
how  much  she  had  spun. 

"  Lenka,"  she  said,  "  has  no  yarn  at  all.  She  did 
nothing  but  play  and  waste  her  time." 

"  You  see,"  said  the  woman  to  her  husband.  "  This 
is  what  I'm  always  telling  you  but  you  never  believe 
me.  That  Lenka  of  yours  is  a  lazy,  good-for-nothing 
girl  who  expects  me  and  my  poor  daughter  to  do  all 
the  work.  I'm  not  going  to  stand  her  in  the  house 
any  longer.  Tomorrow  morning  out  she  goes  to  make 
her  own  way  in  the  world.  Then  perhaps  she'll  under- 
stand what  a  good  home  she's  had  with  me! " 

The  poor  man  tried  to  defend  Lenka  but  his  wife 
would  hear  nothing.  Lenka  must  go  and  that  was  all 
there  was  to  it. 

Early  the  next  morning  while  it  was  still  dark  the 
woman  started  Lenka  off.  She  gave  her  a  sack  that 
she  said  was  full  of  good  meal  and  smoked  meat  and 
bread.  But  instead  of  meal  she  put  in  ashes,  in- 
stead of  smoked  meat  straw,  and  instead  of  bread 
stones. 

"  Here  is  meal  and  smoked  meat  and  bread  for 
your  journey,"  she  said.  "  You  will  be  a  long  time 
finding  any  one  who  will  be  as  good  to  you  as  I  have 
been!  Now  be  off  with  you  and  never  let  me  see  you 


146  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

again!    Let  your  father  put  you  out  in  service  if  he 
can!" 

The  poor  man  put  his  ax  on  his  shoulder  and 
started  off  with  Lenka.  He  had  no  place  to  take  her 
and  he  hardly  knew  what  to  do.  He  led  her  off  into 
the  mountains,  where  he  built  her  a  little  two-room 
hut.  He  was  ashamed  to  tell  her  that  he  was  going 
to  leave  her  alone,  so  he  said  to  her: 

"  You  stay  here,  my  dear  child,  while  I  go  farther 
into  the  forest  and  cut  you  some  firewood." 

But  instead  of  cutting  her  firewood,  he  hung  his 
mallet  on  a  beech  tree  and  whenever  the  wind  blew, 
the  mallet  made  a  knocking  sound.  All  afternoon 
poor  little  Lenka  hearing  the  knock-knock  of  the  mallet 
thought  to  herself:  "  There  is  my  dear  father  chopping 
wood  for  me! " 

When  evening  came  and  he  hadn't  returned,  Lenka 
went  out  to  find  him,  but  all  she  could  find  was  the 
mallet  going  knock-knock  on  the  tree.  Then  the  poor 
girl  realized  that  her  father  had  deceived  her  but  she 
forgave  him,  for  she  knew  that  it  was  her  stepmother's 
fault. 

She  went  back  to  the  little  hut  to  get  her  supper, 
but  when  she  opened  the  sack  her  stepmother  had 
given  her,  instead  of  meal  and  smoked  meat  and  bread, 


RATTLE  AND  CHINK  147 

she  found  only  ashes  and  straw  and  stones.  Then 
indeed  did  Lenka  feel  deserted  and  sitting  down  she 
cried  with  loneliness  and  hunger. 

While  she  was  crying  an  old  beggar  with  a  long 
beard  came  into  the  hut. 

"  God  grant  you  happiness,  my  child,"  he  said. 

"  May  He  grant  you  the  same,  old  father,"  Lenka 
said,  standing  up  and  bowing  politely. 

"  Thank  you,  my  child,  thank  you.  And  now  will 
you  be  so  kind  as  to  wash  my  face  and  give  me  a  bite 
of  supper? " 

"  Indeed,  old  father,  I'd  gladly  wash  your  face 
and  give  you  food,  but  there's  no  water  here  and  noth- 
ing to  carry  it  in.  And  as  for  food,  my  stepmother 
filled  the  sack  with  ashes,  straw,  and  stones." 

"  That's  nothing,  my  child.  Just  go  behind  the 
hut  and  you  will  find  a  spring." 

Lenka  went  and  there,  sure  enough,  was  a  clear 
bubbling  spring  and  on  the  ground  beside  it  a  bucket. 
She  filled  the  bucket  and  carried  it  back  to  the 
hut. 

As  she  entered  the  door  she  could  hardly  believe 
her  eyes,  for  on  the  wall  she  saw  a  row  of  shining 
plates,  big  plates  and  little  plates,  and  cups,  and  every- 
thing else  that  ought  to  be  in  a  kitchen.  The  old  beg- 


148  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

gar  had  started  a  fire,  so  Lenka  at  once  put  on  water 
to  boil. 

"  Look  in  the  sack,"  the  beggar  said. 

Lenka  untied  the  sack  again  and  here  it  was  full 
of  fine  meal  and  bread  and  smoked  meat! 

So  now  Lenka  lost  no  time  in  preparing  a  good 
supper.  Then  she  washed  the  old  beggar's  face  and 
hands  and  together  they  ate.  After  supper  Lenka 
spread  out  her  ragged  clothes  on  the  floor  of  the 
inner  room  and  put  the  beggar  in  there  for  the  night. 
She  herself  stretched  out  on  the  kitchen  bench.  It  was 
a  hard  bed  but  Lenka  made  no  complaint  and  pres- 
ently she  fell  asleep. 

At  midnight  there  was  a  knocking  at  the  door  and 
a  voice  called  out: 

"A  man  am  I 

Six  inches  high, 
But  a  long,  long  beard 
Hangs  from  my  chin. 
Open  the  door 
And  let  me  in! " 

Lenka  jumped  down  and  opened  the  door  and 
there  before  her  stood  a  tiny  dwarf  with  a  long  beard. 


RATTLE  AND  CHINK  149 

He  was  Long  Beard  who  lived  in  the  mountains  and 
of  whom  Lenka  had  often  heard  stories. 

He  came  in  dragging  after  him  a  heavy  bag  of 
golden  ducats. 

"  I  was  that  old  beggar,"  he  said,  "  whose  face  you 
washed  and  with  whom  you  shared  your  supper.  These 
ducats  are  to  reward  you  for  your  kindness.  Now  go 
into  your  bedroom  and  lie  down  comfortably." 

As  he  said  this  he  vanished. 

Lenka  went  into  her  bedroom  and  there,  instead  of 
her  few  rags  on  the  floor,  was  a  fine  feather  bed  and 
coverlets  and  a  painted  chest  full  of  clothes.  Lenka 
lay  down  on  the  feather  bed  and  instantly  fell  asleep. 

On  the  third  day  her  father  came,  supposing  by 
that  time  Lenka  had  either  died  of  hunger  or  been 
devoured  by  wild  beasts.  At  least,  he  thought,  he 
would  gather  together  her  bones. 

But  when  he  reached  the  hut  he  rubbed  his  eyes 
in  surprise.  Instead  of  the  rough  hut,  there  was  a 
pretty  little  cottage  and  instead  of  a  handful  of  bones 
there  was  a  happy  girl  singing  away  at  her  spinning. 

"My  daughter,  my  daughter!"  he  cried.  "How 
are  you? " 

"  Very  well,  dear  father.  You  couldn't  have  found 
a  better  place  for  me." 


150  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

She  told  him  how  happy  she  was  and  how  pleas- 
antly she  passed  the  time,  spinning  and  singing  and 
working.  Then  she  took  a  table-cloth  and  filled  it 
with  golden  ducats  and  gave  it  to  him. 

So  he  went  away  very  happy,  thanking  God  for 
the  good  fortune  that  had  come  to  Lenka. 

As  he  neared  home,  the  old  dog  that  lay  at  the  door 
said  to  the  stepmother: 

"  Bow-wow,  mistress,  here  comes  the  master.  It's 
chink-chink  the  money  before  him  and  chink-chink  the 
money  behind  him! " 

"  Not  so,  old  dog! "  the  stepmother  cried.  "  It's 
rattle-rattle  bones  before  him  and  rattle-rattle  bones 
behind  him! " 

Now  when  the  man  came  into  the  cottage,  he  said : 
"  Wife,  give  me  a  basket  and  let  me  empty  this  table- 
cloth." 

"  What!  "  she  cried.  "  Do  you  expect  me  to  give 
you  a  basket  for  your  daughter's  bones? " 

But  he  began  to  chink  the  golden  ducats  and  then 
she  got  a  basket  fast  enough. 

When  she  had  all  the  ducats  safely  put  away  she 
said: 

"  Isn't  it  just  like  you  to  find  a  place  like  that  for 
your  Lenka!  But  what  have  you  ever  done  for  my 


RATTLE  AND  CHINK  161 

poor  Dor  la?  Tomorrow  you  will  take  her  out  into  the 
world  and  find  a  good  place  for  her ! " 

So  she  got  ready  for  Dorla  a  fine  new  bed  and 
stylish  clothes  and  as  much  good  food  as  she  could 
carry.  The  next  day  the  man  took  Dorla  out  into 
the  mountains  and  built  her  a  little  hut  of  two  rooms. 

Dorla  sat  in  the  hut  and  thought  about  the  good 
supper  she  was  going  to  cook  for  herself. 

In  the  evening  the  same  old  beggar  came  and  said 
to  her: 

"  May  God  grant  you  happiness,  my  child.  Won't 
you  please  wash  my  face? " 

"  Wash  your  face,  indeed! "  cried  Dorla  in  a  rage. 
"  This  is  what  I'll  do  to  you! "  And  she  took  a  stick 
and  drove  the  old  beggar  away. 

"Very  well!"  he  muttered.  "Very  well!  Very 
well! " 

Then  Dorla  cooked  herself  a  fine  supper.  After 
she  had  eaten  every  bite  of  it  herself,  she  lay  down  on 
the  bed  and  went  soundly  to  sleep. 

At  midnight  Long  Beard  knocked  at  the  door  and 
called  out: 

"A  man  am  I 

Six  inches  Mgh, 


152  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

But  a  long,  long  beard 
Hangs  from  my  chin. 
Open  the  door 
And  let  me  in!" 

Then  Dorla  was  very  frightened  and  she  hid  in  the 
corner.  Long  Beard  broke  open  the  door  and  he 
caught  Dorla  and  he  shook  her  out  of  her  skin.  It 
served  her  right,  too,  for  she  was  a  wicked,  spiteful 
girl  and  she  had  never  been  kind  to  anybody  in  her 
life. 

Long  Beard  left  her  bones  in  a  heap  on  the  floor, 
and  he  hung  her  skin  on  the  nail  at  the  back  of  the 
door.  Then  he  put  her  grinning  skull  in  the  window. 

On  the  third  day  Dorla's  mother  gave  her  husband 
a  brand  new  table-cloth  and  said: 

"  Go  now  and  see  how  my  Dorla  is  getting  on. 
Here  is  a  table-cloth  for  the  ducats." 

So  the  man  took  the  table-cloth  and  went  to  the 
mountains.  As  he  came  near  the  hut,  he  saw  some- 
thing in  the  window  that  looked  like  grinning  teeth. 
He  said  to  himself: 

"Dorla  must  be  very  happy  to  be  smiling  at  me 
from  this  distance." 

But  when  he  reached  the  hut  all  he  found  of  Dorla 


RATTLE  AND  CHINK  153 

was  a  heap  of  bones  on  the  floor,  the  skin  hanging  on 
the  nail  behind  the  door,  and  the  skull  grinning  in  the 
window. 

Without  a  word  he  gathered  the  bones  into  the 
table-cloth  and  started  back. 

As  he  neared  home  the  old  dog  said: 

"  Bow-wow,  mistress,  here  comes  the  master  and 
it's  rattle-rattle  before  him  and  rattle-rattle  behind 
him." 

"  Not  so,  old  dog!  "  cried  the  woman.  "  It's  chink- 
chink  before  him,  and  chink-chink  behind  him !  " 

But  the  old  dog  kept  on  barking  and  saying: 

"  No,  no,  bow-wow,  it's  rattle-rattle  before  him  and 
rattle-rattle  behind  him! " 

In  a  rage  the  woman  took  a  stick  and  beat  the  dog. 

Then  the  man  stepped  into  the  cottage  and  at  once 
his  wife  brought  out  a  basket  for  the  ducats.  But 
when  he  shook  out  the  table-cloth  there  was  only  the 
rattle-rattle  of  bones. 


THE  BIRD  WITH  THE  GOLDEN  GIZZARD 

THE  STORY  OF  TWO  BKOTHEES 


THE  BIRD  WITH  THE  GOLDEN  GIZZARD 

ri~l  HERE  was  once  a  poor  man  who  had  a  large  f  am- 
•••  ily.  He  was  so  poor  that  he  had  nothing  to  feed 
the  children.  For  three  days  they  had  had  no  food. 
On  the  third  day  as  the  father  was  out  cutting  osiers 
he  saw,  sitting  in  a  bush,  a  small  bird  that  shone  like 
gold. 

"  If  I  could  snare  that  bird,"  he  thought  to  him- 
self, "  and  take  it  home,  the  children  would  be  amused 
and  perhaps  forget  they  were  hungry." 

So  he  caught  the  bird  and  carried  it  home  and,  sure 
enough,  the  children  were  so  delighted  that  for  two 
days  they  didn't  cry  for  food. 

On  the  third  day  the  bird  laid  a  golden  egg.  The 
oldest  boy  took  the  egg  to  the  goldsmith  to  sell  it. 
The  goldsmith  examined  it  and  said: 

"  I  don't  believe  I  have  money  enough  to  buy  this 

egg." 

"  Just  give  me  some  bread,"  the  boy  said.  "  That 
will  be  enough." 

167 


158  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

The  goldsmith  gave  him  two  loaves  of  bread,  one 
under  each  arm,  and  filled  his  pockets  with  golden 
ducats.  So  for  once  the  whole  family  had  all  it  could 
eat  and  still  there  was  money  left  over. 

Two  days  later  the  bird  laid  another  golden  egg 
which  the  boy  carried  to  the  goldsmith  and  sold  for 
the  same  price. 

Now  the  goldsmith  had  a  son  who  said  he  would 
like  to  see  this  wonderful  bird.  So  he  went  home 
with  the  boy.  He  looked  the  bird  over  very  carefully 
and  under  its  wings  he  discovered  an  inscription  that 
no  one  else  had  seen.  The  inscription  read: 

Whoever  eats  my  heart  witt  become  king. 
Whoever  eats  my  gizzard  will  find  under  his  head 
each  morning  a  heap  of  golden  ducats. 

The  youth  went  home  and  told  his  father  about 
the  strange  inscription.  They  talked  the  matter  over 
and  at  last  decided  that  it  would  be  well  for  the  young 
man  to  marry  the  poor  man's  oldest  daughter  provided 
he  could  get  the  golden  bird  as  dowry. 

The  goldsmith  went  to  see  the  girl's  father  and 
after  some  discussion  the  marriage  was  arranged. 

The  wedding  day  arrived.    The  bridegroom  ordered 


THE  BIRD  WITH  THE  GOLDEN  GIZZARD      159 

the  bird  to  be  roasted  and  ready  to  be  put  on  the  table 
when  the  bridal  party  came  home  from  church.  It  was 
his  intention  to  eat  the  heart  himself  and  have  his 
bride  eat  the  gizzard. 

The  children  of  the  family  cried  bitterly  at  the 
thought  of  losing  their  pretty  bird,  but  the  bridegroom, 
of  course,  had  his  way. 

Now  two  of  the  boys  stayed  home  from  the  wedding 
and  they  decided  that  they  would  like  very  much  to 
taste  the  roast  bird  if  only  they  could  find  a  piece 
that  nobody  would  miss.  They  did  not  dare  take  a 
leg  or  a  wing,  but  they  thought  it  would  be  safe  to 
pick  out  a  morsel  from  the  inside.  So  one  boy  ate 
the  heart,  the  other  the  gizzard.  Then  they  were  so 
frightened  at  what  they  had  done  that  they  ran  away 
and  never  came  back. 

When  the  bride  and  groom  returned  from  church, 
the  bird  was  carried  to  the  table.  The  groom  looked 
at  once  for  the  heart  and  the  gizzard  and  was  greatly 
shocked  at  their  disappearance. 

The  two  boys  who  had  gone  out  into  the  world 
found  work  with  a  merchant.  They  slept  together 
and  every  morning  the  merchant's  wife  found  a  heap 
of  golden  ducats  under  the  feather  bed.  She  didn't 
know  to  which  boy  they  belonged.  She  tqgk  them  and 


160  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

saved  them  for  a  whole  year  until  they  filled  a  hogs- 
head. 

At  the  end  of  a  year  the  boys  decided  to  go  out 
again  into  the  world.  The  merchant  showed  them  all 
the  ducats  his  wife  had  found  in  their  bed  and  he 
said  to  them: 

"  Take  with  you  as  many  as  you  want  now  and 
when  you  come  back  you  may  have  the  rest." 

The  brothers  parted  company  and  each  set  out 
alone,  the  one  to  the  left,  the  other  to  the  right. 

The  younger  brother  came  to  a  tavern.  The  land- 
lady had  two  daughters  who  were  so  sharp  at  cards 
that  they  very  soon  won  all  the  money  he  had.  When 
he  was  picked  clean  he  asked  them  to  stop  playing 
until  the  next  morning  when  he  would  again  have 
plenty  of  money. 

Sure  enough  in  the  morning  when  he  got  up  he 
had  all  the  money  he  wanted.  The  girls  asked  him 
where  it  came  from  and  he  told  them. 

When  they  heard  about  the  gizzard  he  had  swal- 
lowed, they  put  something  in  his  wine  that  made  him 
sick  at  his  stomach  and  he  threw  up  the  gizzard.  The 
younger  girl  instantly  snatched  it,  washed  it,  and  swal- 
lowed it  herself.  Then  as  he  had  no  more  money  they 
drove  the  poor  boy  away. 


THE  BIRD  WITH  THE  GOLDEN  GIZZARD      161 

As  he  wandered  in  the  fields  he  grew  very  hungry. 
He  came  to  a  meadow  where  he  found  a  kind  of  sorrel 
that  he  ate.  As  soon  as  he  ate  it  he  turned  into  a 
goat  and  went  jumping  about  the  bushes  nibbling  at 
the  leaves.  He  chanced  to  eat  a  kind  of  leaf  that 
changed  him  back  into  himself. 

"  Ah,"  he  thought,  "  now  I  know  what  to  do! " 

He  picked  some  of  the  sorrel  and  some  of  the  other 
leaves  and  went  straight  back  to  the  tavern.  He  told 
them  there  that  he  was  bringing  them  a  present  of  a 
new  kind  of  spinach  that  tasted  very  good.  They 
asked  him  would  he  cook  it  for  them. 

The  cook  tasted  it  and  at  once  she  turned  into  a 
goat.  The  serving  maid  came  into  the  kitchen  and 
when  she  saw  a  goat  there  she  drove  it  out.  The  youth 
asked  the  maid  would  she  like  to  taste  the  new  spinach. 
She  tasted  it  and  immediately  she  turned  into  a  goat. 
Then  when  the  landlady  and  her  two  daughters  tasted 
it  they,  too,  turned  into  goats. 

He  fed  the  cook  and  the  serving  maid  some  of  the 
other  leaves  and  they  turned  back  into  themselves. 
But  the  other  three  he  left  as  goats. 

He  made  halters  for  them  and  then  he  hitched 
them  up  and  drove  off. 

He  drove  on  and  on  until  he  came  to  a  town  where 


162  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

the  king  was  building  himself  a  castle.  Now  this  king 
was  his  brother  who  had  eaten  the  magic  bird's  heart. 
The  king's  workmen  were  hauling  stone  for  the  new 
castle,  so  he  decided  to  put  his  goats  to  work  hauling 
stone.  He  loaded  his  cart  heavier  than  all  the  other 
carts. 

The  king  noticed  him  and  recognized  him  and  asked 
him  where  he  got  those  goats.  So  he  told  the  king 
the  whole  story.  The  king  thought  the  goats  had 
been  punished  long  enough  and  begged  his  brother  to 
have  pity  on  them  and  restore  them.  He  took  the 
king's  advice  and  did  so. 

When  they  were  once  more  human  beings,  he 
married  the  girl  who  had  swallowed  the  gizzard.  They 
soon  became  very  rich,  for  every  morning  there  was  a 
heap  of  golden  ducats  under  her  head. 


THE  WOOD  MAIDEN 

THE   STORY   OF  BETUSHKA  AND 
THE  GOLDEN  BIECH  LEAYES 


THE  WOOD  MAIDEN 

BETUSHKA  was  a  little  girl.  Her  mother  was 
a  poor  widow  with  nothing  but  a  tumble-down 
cottage  and  two  little  nanny-goats.  But  poor  as  they 
were  Betushka  was  always  cheerful.  From  spring  till 
autumn  she  pastured  the  goats  in  the  birch  wood. 
Every  morning  when  she  left  home  her  mother  gave 
her  a  little  basket  with  a  slice  of  bread  and  a  spindle. 

"  See  that  you  bring  home  a  full  spindle,"  her 
mother  always  said. 

Betushka  had  no  distaff,  so  she  wound  the  flax 
around  her  head.  Then  she  took  the  little  basket 
and  went  romping  and  singing  behind  the  goats  to  the 
birch  wood.  When  they  got  there  she  sat  down  under 
a  tree  and  pulled  the  fibers  of  the  flax  from  her  head 
with  her  left  hand,  and  with  her  right  hand  let  down 
the  spindle  so  that  it  went  humming  along  the  ground. 
All  the  while  she  sang  until  the  woods  echoed  and  the 
little  goats  nibbled  away  at  the  leaves  and  grass. 

When  the  sun  showed  midday,  she  put  the  spindle 

165 


166  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

aside,  called  the  goats  and  gave  them  a  mouthful  of 
bread  so  that  they  wouldn't  stray,  and  ran  off  into  the 
woods  to  hunt  berries  or  any  other  wild  fruit  that 
was  in  season.  Then  when  she  had  finished  her  bread 
and  fruit,  she  jumped  up,  folded  her  arms,  and  danced 
and  sang. 

The  sun  smiled  at  her  through  the  green  of  the 
trees  and  the  little  goats,  resting  on  the  grass,  thought: 
"  What  a  merry  little  shepherdess  we  have !  " 

After  her  dance  she  went  back  to  her  spinning  and 
worked  industriously.  In  the  evening  when  she  got 
home  her  mother  never  had  to  scold  her  because  the 
spindle  was  empty. 

One  day  at  noon  just  after  she  had  eaten  and,  as 
usual,  was  going  to  dance,  there  suddenly  stood  before 
her  a  most  beautiful  maiden.  She  was  dressed  in 
white  gauze  that  was  fine  as  a  spider's  web.  Long 
golden  hair  fell  down  to  her  waist  and  on  her  head 
she  wore  a  wreath  of  woodland  flowers. 

Betushka  was  speechless  with  surprise  and  alarm. 

The  maiden  smiled  at  her  and  said  in  a  sweet 
voice: 

"Betushka,  do  you  like  to  dance?" 

Her  manner  was  so  gracious  that  Betushka  no 
longer  felt  afraid,  and  answered: 


THE  WOOD  MAIDEN  167 

"  Oh,  I  could  dance  all  day  long!  " 

"  Come,  then,  let  us  dance  together,"  said  the 
maiden.  "  I'll  teach  you." 

With  that  she  tucked  up  her  skirt,  put  her  arm 
about  Betushka's  waist,  and  they  began  to  dance.  At 
once  such  enchanting  music  sounded  over  their  heads 
that  Betushka's  heart  went  one-two  with  the  dancing. 
The  musicians  sat  on  the  branches  of  the  birch  trees. 
They  were  clad  in  little  frock  coats,  black  and  gray 
and  many-colored.  It  was  a  carefully  chosen  orchestra 
that  had  gathered  at  the  bidding  of  the  beautiful 
maiden:  larks,  nightingales,  finches,  linnets,  thrushes, 
blackbirds,  and  showy  mocking-birds. 

Betushka's  cheeks  burned,  her  eyes  shone.  She 
forgot  her  spinning,  she  forgot  her  goats.  All  she 
could  do  was  gaze  at  her  partner  who  was  moving  with 
such  grace  and  lightness  that  the  grass  didn't  seem  to 
bend  under  her  slender  feet. 

They  danced  from  noon  till  sundown  and  yet  Be- 
tushka  wasn't  the  least  bit  tired.  Then  they  stopped 
dancing,  the  music  ceased,  and  the  maiden  disappeared 
as  suddenly  as  she  had  come. 

Betushka  looked  around.  The  sun  was  sinking 
behind  the  wood.  She  put  her  hands  to  the  unspun 
flax  on  her  head  and  remembered  the  spindle  that  was 


168  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

lying  unfilled  on  the  grass.  She  took  down  the  flax 
and  laid  it  with  the  spindle  in  the  little  basket.  Then 
she  called  the  goats  and  started  home. 

She  reproached  herself  bitterly  that  she  had  al- 
lowed the  beautiful  maiden  to  beguile  her  and  she 
told  herself  that  another  time  she  would  not  listen 
to  her.  She  was  so  quiet  that  the  little  goats,  missing 
her  merry  song,  looked  around  to  see  whether  it  was 
really  their  own  little  shepherdess  who  was  following 
them.  Her  mother,  too,  wondered  why  she  didn't 
sing  and  questioned  her. 

"Are  you  sick,  Betushka? " 

"  No,  dear  mother,  I'm  not  sick,  but  I've  been 
singing  too  much  and  my  throat  is  dry." 

She  knew  that  her  mother  did  not  reel  the  yarn 
at  once,  so  she  hid  the  spindle  and  the  unspun  flax, 
hoping  to  make  up  tomorrow  what  she  had  not  done 
today.  She  did  not  tell  her  mother  one  word  about 
the  beautiful  maiden. 

The  next  day  she  felt  cheerful  again  and  as  she 
drove  the  goats  to  pasture  she  sang  merrily.  At  the 
birch  wood  she  sat  down  to  her  spinning,  singing  all 
the  while,  for  with  a  song  on  the  lips  work  falls  from 
the  hands  more  easily. 

Noonday  came.     Betushka  gave  a  bit  of  bread  to 


THE  WOOD  MAIDEN  169 

each  of  the  goats  and  ran  off  to  the  woods  for  her 
berries.  Then  she  ate  her  luncheon. 

"  Ah,  my  little  goats,"  she  sighed,  as  she  brushed 
up  the  crumbs  for  the  birds,  "  I  mustn't  dance  today." 

"  Why  mustn't  you  dance  today?  "  a  sweet  voice 
asked,  and  there  stood  the  beautiful  maiden  as  though 
she  had  fallen  from  the  clouds. 

Betushka  was  worse  frightened  than  before  and 
she  closed  her  eyes  tight.  When  the  maiden  repeated 
her  question,  Betushka  answered  timidly: 

"  Forgive  me,  beautiful  lady,  for  not  dancing  with 
you.  If  I  dance  with  you  I  cannot  spin  my  stint 
and  then  my  mother  will  scold  me.  Today  before  the 
sun  sets  I  must  make  up  for  what  I  lost  yesterday." 

"  Come,  child,  and  dance,"  the  maiden  said.  "  Be- 
fore the  sun  sets  we'll  find  some  way  of  getting  that 
spinning  done!" 

She  tucked  up  her  skirt,  put  her  arm  about  Be- 
tushka, the  musicians  in  the  treetops  struck  up,  and  off 
they  whirled.  The  maiden  danced  more  beautifully 
than  ever.  Betushka  couldn't  take  her  eyes  from  her. 
She  forgot  her  goats,  she  forgot  her  spinning.  All  she 
wanted  to  do  was  to  dance  on  forever. 

At  sundown  the  maiden  paused  and  the  music 
stopped.  Then  Betushka,  clasping  her  hands  to  her 


170  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

head,  where  the  unspun  flax  was  twined,  burst  into 
tears.  The  beautiful  maiden  took  the  flax  from  her 
head,  wound  it  round  the  stem  of  a  slender  birch, 
grasped  the  spindle,  and  began  to  spin.  The  spindle 
hummed  along  the  ground  and  filled  in  no  time.  Be- 
fore the  sun  sank  behind  the  woods  all  the  flax  was 
spun,  even  that  which  was  left  over  from  the  day  be- 
fore. The  maiden  handed  Betushka  the  full  spindle 
and  said: 

"  Remember  my  words: 

Reel  and  grumble  not! 
Reel  and  grumble  not!" 

When  she  said  this,  she  vanished  as  if  the  earth 
had  swallowed  her. 

Betushka  was  very  happy  now  and  she  thought  to 
herself  on  her  way  home:  "  Since  she  is  so  good  and 
kind,  I'll  dance  with  her  again  if  she  asks  me.  Oh, 
how  I  hope  she  does ! " 

She  sang  her  merry  little  song  as  usual  and  the 
goats  trotted  cheerfully  along. 

She  found  her  mother  vexed  with  her,  for  she  had 
wanted  to  reel  yesterday's  yarn  and  had  discovered 
that  the  spindle  was  not  full. 


THE  WOOD  MAIDEN  171 

"What  were  you  doing  yesterday,"  she  scolded, 
"  that  you  didn't  spin  your  stint?  " 

Betushka  hung  her  head.  "  Forgive  me,  mother. 
I  danced  too  long."  Then  she  showed  her  mother 
today's  spindle  and  said:  "  See,  today  I  more  than 
made  up  for  yesterday." 

Her  mother  said  no  more  but  went  to  milk  the 
goats  and  Betushka  put  away  the  spindle.  She  wanted 
to  tell  her  mother  her  adventure,  but  she  thought  to 
herself:  "No,  I'll  wait.  If  the  beautiful  lady  comes 
again,  I'll  ask  her  who  she  is  and  then  I'll  tell  mother." 
So  she  said  nothing. 

On  the  third  morning  she  drove  the  goats  as  usual 
to  the  birch  wood.  The  goats  went  to  pasture  and 
Betushka,  sitting  down  under  a  tree,  began  to  spin 
and  sing.  When  the  sun  pointed  to  noon,  she  laid  her 
spindle  on  the  grass,  gave  the  goats  a  mouthful  of 
bread,  gathered  some  strawberries,  ate  her  luncheon, 
and  then,  giving  the  crumbs  to  the  birds,  she  said 
cheerily : 

"  Today,  my  little  goats,  I  will  dance  for  you!  " 

She  jumped  up,  folded  her  arms,  and  was  about 
to  see  whether  she  could  move  as  gracefully  as  the 
beautiful  maiden,  when  the  maiden  herself  stood  be- 
fore her. 


172  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

"Let  us  dance  together,"  she  said.  She  smiled 
at  Betushka,  put  her  arm  about  her,  and  as  the  music 
above  their  heads  began  to  play,  they  whirled  round 
and  round  with  flying  feet.  Again  Betushka  forgot 
the  spindle  and  the  goats.  Again  she  saw  nothing  but 
the  beautiful  maiden  whose  body  was  lithe  as  a  w  llow 
shoot.  Again  she  heard  nothing  but  the  enchanting 
music  to  which  her  feet  danced  of  themselves. 

They  danced  from  noon  till  sundown.  Then  the 
maiden  paused  and  the  music  ceased.  Betushka  looked 
around.  The  sun  was  already  set  behind  the  woods. 
She  clasped  her  hands  to  her  head  and  looking  down 
at  the  unfilled  spindle  she  burst  into  tears. 

"  Oh,  what  will  my  mother  say?  "  she  cried. 

"  Give  me  your  little  basket,"  the  maiden  said, 
"  and  I  will  put  something  in  it  that  will  more  than 
make  up  for  today's  stint." 

Betushka  handed  her  the  basket  and  the  maiden 
took  it  and  vanished.  In  a  moment  she  was  back. 
She  returned  the  basket  and  said: 

"  Look  not  inside  until  you're  home! 
Look  not  inside  until  you're  home! " 

As  she  said  these  words  she  was  gone  as  if  a  wind 
had  blown  her  away. 


THE  WOOD  MAIDEN  173 

Betushka  wanted  awfully  to  peep  inside  but  she 
was  afraid  to.  The  basket  was  so  light  that  she 
wondered  whether  there  was  anything  at  all  in  it. 
Was  the  lovely  lady  only  fooling  her?  Halfway  home 
she  peeped  in  to  see. 

Imagine  her  feelings  when  she  found  the  basket 
was  full  of  birch  leaves!  Then  indeed  did  Betushka 
burst  into  tears  and  reproach  herself  for  being  so 
simple.  In  her  vexation  she  threw  out  a  handful  of 
leaves  and  was  going  to  empty  the  basket  when  she 
thought  to  herself: 

"  No,  I'll  keep  what's  left  as  litter  for  the  goats." 

She  was  almost  afraid  to  go  home.  She  was  so 
quiet  that  again  the  little  goats  wondered  what  ailed 
their  shepherdess. 

Her  mother  was  waiting  for  her  in  great  excite- 
ment. 

"  For  heaven's  sake,  Betushka,  what  kind  of  a  spool 
did  you  bring  home  yesterday?  " 

"Why?"  Betushka  faltered. 

"  When  you  went  away  this  morning  I  started  to 
reel  that  yarn.  I  reeled  and  reeled  and  the  spool  re- 
mained full.  One  skein,  two  skeins,  three  skeins,  and 
still  the  spool  was  full.  'What  evil  spirit  has  spun 
that?'  I  cried  out  impatiently,  and  instantly  the  yarn 


174  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

disappeared  from  the  spindle  as  if  blown  away.  Tell 
me,  what  does  it  mean?  " 

So  Betushka  confessed  and  told  her  mother  all  she 
knew  about  the  beautiful  maiden. 

"  Oh,"  cried  her  mother  in  amazement,  "  that  was 
a  wood  maiden!  At  noon  and  midnight  the  wood 
maidens  dance.  It  is  well  you  are  not  a  little  boy  or 
she  might  have  danced  you  to  death!  But  they  are 
often  kind  to  little  girls  and  sometimes  make  them 
rich  presents.  Why  didn't  you  tell  me?  If  I  hadn't 
grumbled,  I  could  have  had  yarn  enough  to  fill  the 
house!" 

Betushka  thought  of  the  little  basket  and  wondered 
if  there  might  be  something  under  the  leaves.  She 
took  out  the  spindle  and  unspun  flax  and  looked  in 
once  more. 

"  Mother!  "  she  cried.    "  Come  here  and  see! " 

Her  mother  looked  and  clapped  her  hands.  The 
birch  leaves  were  all  turned  to  gold! 

Betushka  reproached  herself  bitterly:  "  She  told 
me  not  to  look  inside  until  I  got  home,  but  I  didn't 
obey." 

"It's  lucky  you  didn't  empty  the  whole  basket," 
her  mother  said. 

The  next  morning  she  herself  went  to  look  for  the 


THE  WOOD  MAIDEN  175 

handful  of  leaves  that  Betushka  had  thrown  away. 
She  found  them  still  lying  in  the  road  but  they  were 
only  birch  leaves. 

But  the  riches  which  Betushka  brought  home  were 
enough.  Her  mother  bought  a  farm  with  fields  and 
cattle.  Betushka  had  pretty  clothes  and  no  longer 
had  to  pasture  goats. 

But  no  matter  what  she  did,  no  matter  how  cheer- 
ful and  happy  she  was,  still  nothing  ever  again  gave 
her  quite  so  much  pleasure  as  the  dance  with  the 
wood  maiden.  She  often  went  to  the  birch  wood  in 
the  hope  of  seeing  the  maiden  again.  But  she  never 
did. 


THE  GOLDEN  SPINNING  WHEEL 

THE  STOEY  OF  KING  DOBROMIL  AND  THE  GOOD  DOBRUNKA 


Alike  in  Feature  but  Utterly  Different  in  Disposition 


THE  GOLDEN  SPINNING  WHEEL 


THERE  was  once  a  poor  woman  who  had  twin 
daughters.  The  girls  were  exactly  alike  in  face 
and  feature  but  utterly  different  in  disposition.  Do- 
brunka  was  kind,  industrious,  obedient,  and  everything 
a  good  girl  ought  to  be.  Zloboha,  her  sister,  was 
spiteful,  disobedient,  lazy,  and  proud.  In  fact,  she 
had  just  about  as  many  faults  as  a  person  could 
have.  Yet  strange  to  say  the  mother  loved  Zloboha 
much  better  and  made  everything  easy  for  her. 

They  lived  in  a  cottage  a  few  miles  from  town. 
The  cottage  stood  by  itself  in  a  little  clearing  in  the 
woods.  Hardly  any  one  ever  passed  it  except  occa- 
sionally some  man  who  had  lost  his  way  in  the  woods. 

The  mother  put  her  favorite,  Zloboha,  out  to  ser- 
vice so  that  she  might  learn  city  ways,  but  she  kept 
Dobrunka  at  home  to  do  the  housework  and  take  care 
of  the  garden.  Dobrunka  always  began  the  day  by 
feeding  the  goats,  then  she  prepared  the  breakfast, 
swept  the  kitchen,  and  when  everything  else  was  done 
she  sat  down  at  her  spinning  wheel  and  spun. 

179 


180  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

She  seldom  benefited  from  the  yarn  she  spun  so 
carefully,  for  her  mother  always  sold  it  in  town  and 
spent  the  money  on  clothes  for  Zloboha.  Yet  Do- 
brunka  loved  her  mother  although  she  never  had  a 
kind  word  or  a  kind  look  from  her  the  whole  day 
long.  She  always  obeyed  her  mother  instantly  and 
without  a  frown  and  no  one  ever  heard  her  complain 
about  all  the  work  she  had  to  do. 

One  day  when  her  mother  was  going  to  town 
Dobrunka  went  part  of  the  way  with  her,  carrying 
her  yarn  wrapped  up  in  a  kerchief. 

"  Now  see  that  you're  not  lazy  while  I'm  away," 
her  mother  said,  crossly. 

"  You  know,  mother,  you  never  have  to  nag  at 
me.  Today  when  I  finish  the  housework,  I'll  spin  so 
industriously  that  you'll  be  more  than  satisfied  when 
you  get  home." 

She  handed  her  yarn  to  her  mother  and  went  back 
to  the  cottage.  Then  when  she  had  put  the  kitchen 
in  order,  she  sat  down  to  her  wheel  and  began  to 
spin.  Dobrunka  had  a  pretty  voice,  as  pretty  as  any 
of  the  song-birds  in  the  forest,  and  always  when  she 
was  alone  she  sang.  So  today  as  she  sat  spinning 
she  sang  all  the  songs  she  knew,  one  after  the  other. 

Suddenly  she  heard  outside  the  trample  of  a  horse. 


THE  GOLDEN  SPINNING  WHEEL  181 

"  Some  one  is  coming,"  she  thought  to  herself,  "  some- 
one who  has  lost  his  way  in  the  woods.  I'll  go  see." 

She  got  up  from  her  wheel  and  peeped  out  through 
the  small  window.  A  young  man  was  just  dismount- 
ing from  a  spirited  horse. 

"Oh,"  thought  Dobrunka  to  herself,  "what  a 
handsome  young  lord  he  is!  How  well  his  leather  coat 
fits  him!  How  well  his  cap  with  its  white  feather 
looks  on  his  black  hair!  Ah,  he  is  tying  his  horse  and 
is  coming  in.  I  must  slip  back  to  my  spinning." 

The  next  moment  the  young  man  opened  the  door 
and  stepped  into  the  kitchen.  All  this  happened  a 
long  time  ago,  you  see,  when  there  were  no  locks  or 
bars  on  the  doors,  and  there  didn't  have  to  be  because 
nothing  was  ever  stolen. 

"  Good  day  to  you,  my  girl,"  the  young  man  said 
to  Dobrunka. 

"  Good  day,  sir,"  Dobrunka  answered.  "  What  is 
it,  sir,  you  want? " 

"  Will  you  please  get  me  a  little  water.  I'm  very 
thirsty." 

"Certainly,"  Dobrunka  said.  "Won't  you  sit 
down  while  I'm  getting  it?" 

She  ran  off,  got  the  pitcher,  rinsed  it  out,  and 
drew  some  fresh  water  from  the  well. 


182  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

"  I  wish  I  could  give  you  something  better,  sir." 

"  Nothing  could  taste  better  than  this,"  he  said, 
handing  her  back  the  empty  pitcher.  "  See,  I  have 
taken  it  all." 

Dobrunka  put  the  pitcher  away  and  the  young 
man,  while  her  back  was  turned,  slipped  a  leather 
bag,  full  of  money,  into  the  bed. 

"  I  thank  you  for  the  drink,"  he  said,  as  he  rose 
to  go.  "  I'll  come  again  tomorrow  if  you'll  let  me." 

"  Come  if  you  want  to,"  Dobrunka  said,  modestly. 

He  took  her  hand,  held  it  a  moment,  then  leaped 
upon  his  horse  and  galloped  off. 

Dobrunka  sat  down  again  to  her  wheel  and  tried 
to  work,  but  her  mind  wandered.  The  image  of  the 
young  man  kept  rising  before  her  eyes  and  I  have  to 
confess  that,  for  an  expert  spinner,  she  broke  her 
thread  pretty  often. 

Her  mother  came  home  in  the  evening  full  of 
praises  of  Zloboha,  who,  she  said,  was  growing  prettier 
day  by  day.  Everybody  in  town  admired  her  and 
she  was  fast  learning  city  ways  and  city  manners. 
It  was  Zloboha  this  and  Zloboha  that  for  hours. 

Finally  the  old  woman  remarked:  "They  say 
there  was  a  great  hunting  party  out  today.  Did  you 
hear  anything  of  it?" 


THE  GOLDEN  SPINNING  WHEEL  183 

"  Oh,  yes,"  Dobrunka  said.  "  I  forgot  to  tell  you 
that  a  young  huntsman  stopped  here  to  ask  for  a 
drink.  He  was  handsomely  dressed  in  leather.  You 
know  once  when  I  was  in  town  with  you  we  saw  a 
whole  company  of  men  in  leather  coats  with  white 
feathers  in  their  caps.  No  doubt  this  young  man  be- 
longed to  the  hunting  party.  When  he  had  his  drink, 
he  jumped  on  his  horse  and  rode  off." 

Dobrunka  forgot  to  mention  that  he  had  taken 
her  hand  in  parting  and  promised  to  come  back  next 
day. 

When  Dobrunka  was  preparing  the  bed  for  the 
night,  the  bag  of  money  fell  out.  In  great  surprise 
she  picked  it  up  and  handed  it  to  her  mother. 

The  old  woman  looked  at  her  sharply. 

"  Dobrunka,  who  gave  you  all  this  money? " 

"Nobody  gave  it  to  me,  mother.  Perhaps  the 
huntsman  slipped  it  into  the  bed.  I  don't  know  where 
else  it  could  have  come  from." 

The  old  woman  emptied  the  bag  on  the  table. 
They  were  all  gold  pieces. 

"Good  heavens,  so  much!"  she  murmured  in 
amazement.  "  He  must  be  a  very  rich  young  lord ! 
Perhaps  he  saw  how  poor  we  were  and  thought  to  do 
a  kind  deed.  May  God  grant  him  happiness!" 


184  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

She  gathered  the  money  together  and  hid  it  in  the 
chest. 

Usually  when  Dobrunka  went  to  bed  after  her 
day's  work  she  fell  asleep  at  once,  but  tonight  she 
lay  awake  thinking  of  the  handsome  young  rider. 
When  she  did  at  last  fall  asleep  it  was  to  dream  of 
him.  He  was  a  powerful  young  lord,  it  seemed  to 
her,  in  her  dream.  He  lived  in  a  great  palace  and 
she,  Dobrunka,  was  his  wife.  She  thought  that  they 
were  giving  a  fine  banquet  to  which  all  the  nobles  in 
the  land  had  been  invited.  She  and  her  husband  arose 
from  the  table  and  went  together  into  another  room. 
He  was  about  to  put  his  arms  about  her  and  embrace 
her  when  suddenly  a  black  cat  sprang  between  them 
and  buried  its  claws  in  Dobrunka's  breast.  Her 
heart's  blood  spurted  out  and  stained  her  white  dress. 
She  cried  out  in  fright  and  pain  and  the  cry  awoke 
her. 

"What  a  strange  dream,"  she  thought  to  herself. 
"  I  wonder  what  it  means.  It  began  so  beautifully 
but  the  cruel  cat  spoiled  it  all.  I  fear  it  bodes  some- 
thing ill." 

In  the  morning  when  she  got  up,  she  was  still 
thinking  of  it. 

On  other  mornings  it  didn't  take  Dobrunka  long 


THE  GOLDEN  SPINNING  WHEEL  185 

to  dress  but  this  morning  she  was  very  slow.  She 
shook  out  her  fresh  skirt  again  and  again.  She  had 
the  greatest  trouble  in  putting  on  her  bodice  just 
right.  She  spent  much  time  on  her  hair,  into  which 
she  plaited  the  red  ribbon  that  she  usually  kept  for 
holidays.  When  at  last  she  was  dressed  and  ready 
to  go  about  her  household  duties  she  looked  very 
fresh  and  sweet. 

As  midday  came,  she  found  it  hard  to  sit  still  at  her 
wheel,  but  kept  jumping  up  on  any  pretext  whatever 
to  run  outdoors  a  moment  to  see  if  the  young  horse- 
man was  in  sight. 

At  last  she  did  see  him  at  a  distance  and,  oh,  how 
she  hurried  back  to  her  stool  so  that  he  would  never 
think  that  she  was  watching  for  him. 

He  rode  into  the  yard,  tied  his  horse,  and  came  into 
the  cottage. 

"  Good  day,  Dobrunka,"  he  said,  speaking  very 
gently  and  very  respectfully. 

Dobrunka's  heart  was  beating  so  fast  that  she 
feared  it  would  jump  out  of  her  body.  Her  mother 
was  in  the  woods  gathering  fagots,  so  she  was  again 
alone  with  him.  She  managed  to  return  his  greeting 
and  to  ask  him  to  sit  down.  Then  she  went  back  to 
her  spinning. 


186  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

The  young  man  came  over  to  her  and  took  her 
hand. 

"  How  did  you  sleep,  Dobrunka?  " 

"  Very  well,  sir." 

"Did  you  dream?" 

"  Yes,  I  had  a  very  strange  dream." 

"Tell  me  about  it.  I  can  explain  dreams  very 
well." 

"  But  I  can't  tell  this  dream  to  you,"  Dobrunka 
said. 

"  Why  not? " 

"  Because  it's  about  you." 

"  That's  the  very  reason  you  ought  to  tell  me," 
the  young  man  said. 

He  urged  her  and  begged  her  until  at  last  Do- 
brunka did  tell  him  the  dream. 

"  Well  now,"  he  said,  "  that  dream  of  yours  except 
the  part  about  the  cat  can  be  realized  easily  enough." 

Dobrunka  laughed.  "  How  could  I  ever  become  a 
fine  lady? " 

"  By  marrying  me,"  the  young  man  said. 

Dobrunka  blushed.    "  Now,  sir,  you  are  joking." 

"  No,  Dobrunka,  this  is  no  joke.  I  really  mean 
it.  I  came  back  this  morning  to  ask  you  to  marry 
me.  Will  you? " 


THE  GOLDEN  SPINNING  WHEEL  187 

Dobrunka  was  too  surprised  to  speak,  but  when 
the  young  man  took  her  hand  she  did  not  withdraw  it. 

Just  then  the  old  woman  came  in.  The  young 
man  greeted  her  and  without  any  delay  declared  his 
intentions.  He  said  he  loved  Dobrunka  and  wished 
to  make  her  his  wife  and  that  all  he  and  Dobrunka 
were  waiting  for  was  the  mother's  consent. 

"  I  have  my  own  house,"  he  added,  "  and  am  well 
able  to  take  care  of  a  wife.  And  for  you  too,  dear 
mother,  there  will  always  be  room  in  my  house  and 
at  my  table." 

The  old  woman  listened  to  all  he  had  to  say  and 
then  very  promptly  gave  her  blessing. 

"  Then,  my  dear  one,"  the  young  man  said  to 
Dobrunka,  "  go  back  to  your  spinning  and  when  you 
have  spun  enough  for  your  wedding  shift,  I  shall 
come  for  you." 

He  kissed  her,  gave  his  hand  to  her  mother,  and, 
springing  on  his  horse,  rode  away. 

From  that  time  the  old  woman  treated  Dobrunka 
more  kindly.  She  even  went  so  far  as  to  spend  on 
Dobrunka  a  little  of  the  money  the  young  man  had 
given  them,  but  most  of  it,  of  course,  went  for  clothes 
for  Zloboha. 

But  in  those  happy  days  Dobrunka  wasn't  worry- 


188  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

ing  about  anything  as  unimportant  as  money.  She 
sat  at  her  wheel  and  spun  away  thinking  all  the  while 
of  her  fine  young  lover.  Time  sped  quickly  and  before 
she  knew  it  she  had  spun  enough  for  her  wedding 
shift. 

The  very  day  she  was  finished  her  lover  came.  She 
heard  the  trample  of  his  horse  and  ran  out  to  meet 
him. 

"  Have  you  spun  enough  for  your  wedding  shift? " 
he  asked  her  as  he  took  her  to  his  heart. 

"  Yes,"  Dobrunka  said,  "  I  have." 

"  Then  you  can  ride  away  with  me  this  moment." 

"This  moment!"  Dobrunka  gasped.  "Why  so 
quickly?" 

"  It  has  to  be,  my  dear  one.  Tomorrow  I  go  off 
to  war  and  want  you  to  take  my  place  at  home. 
Then  when  I  come  back  you'll  be  there  to  greet  me 
as  my  wife." 

"  But  what  will  my  mother  say  to  this? " 

"  She  will  have  to  consent." 

They  went  into  the  cottage  and  spoke  to  the  old 
woman.  She  was  far  from  pleased  with  this  arrange- 
ment, for  she  had  worked  out  a  very  different  plan  in 
her  mind.  But  what  could  she  do?  A  rich  young 
bridegroom  always  has  his  own  way.  So  she  hid  her 


THE  GOLDEN  SPINNING  WHEEL  189 

disappointment  with  a  false  smile  and  gave  them  her 
blessing. 

Then  the  young  man  said  to  her:  "  Get  your 
things  together,  mother,  and  follow  Dobrunka,  for  I 
don't  want  her  to  be  lonely  while  I'm  gone.  When 
you  get  to  the  city,  go  to  the  palace  and  ask  for 
Dobromil.  The  people  there  will  tell  you  where  to 
go." 

Dobrunka  with  tears  streaming  down  her  cheeks 
bid  her  mother  good-by.  Dobromil  lifted  her  to  the 
saddle  in  front  of  him  and  away  they  went  like  the 
wind. 

The  town  was  in  great  excitement.  There  was 
much  hurrying  to  and  fro  as  the  troops  were  being 
put  in  readiness  for  the  morrow.  A  crowd  had  gath- 
ered at  the  palace  gates  and  as  a  young  man  came 
galloping  up,  holding  in  front  of  him  a  lady  lovely 
as  the  day,  the  shout  went  up: 

"Here  he  is!    Here  he  is!" 

The  people  in  the  courtyard  took  up  the  cry  and 
as  Dobromil  rode  through  the  gate  all  of  them  with 
one  voice  shouted  out: 

"  Long  live  our  beautiful  queen!  Long  live  our 
noble  king!" 

Dobrunka  was  struck  with  amazement. 


190  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

"  Are  you  really  the  king,  Dobromil? "  she  asked, 
looking  into  his  proud  and  happy  face. 

"  Yes,"  he  said.    "  Aren't  you  glad  that  I  am?  " 

"  I  love  you,"  Dobrunka  said,  "  and  so  whatever 
you  are  makes  no  difference  to  me.  But  why  did  you 
deceive  me?" 

"  I  did  not  deceive  you.  I  told  you  that  your 
dream  would  be  realized  if  you  took  me  for  your 
husband." 

In  those  early  times  marriage  was  a  simple  affair. 
When  a  man  and  woman  loved  each  other  and  their 
parents  consented  to  their  union,  they  were  looked 
upon  as  married.  So  Dobromil  now  was  able  to  pre- 
sent Dobrunka  to  his  people  as  his  wife. 

There  was  great  rejoicing,  music  played,  and  there 
was  feasting  and  drinking  in  the  banquet  hall  until 
dawn.  The  next  day  the  young  husband  kissed  his 
lovely  bride  farewell  and  rode  off  to  war. 

Left  alone  the  young  queen  strayed  through  the 
magnificent  palace  like  a  lost  lamb.  She  would  have 
felt  more  at  home  rambling  through  the  woods  and 
awaiting  the  return  of  her  husband  in  a  little  cottage 
than  here  where  she  was  a  lonely  stranger.  Yet  she 
was  not  a  stranger  long,  for  within  half  a  day  she 
had  won  every  heart  by  her  sweetness  and  goodness. 


THE  GOLDEN  SPINNING  WHEEL  191 

The  next  day  she  sent  for  her  mother  and  the 
old  woman  soon  arrived  bringing  with  her  Dobrunka's 
spinning  wheel.  So  now  there  was  no  more  excuse 
for  loneliness. 

Dobrunka  supposed  that  her  mother  would  be 
made  very  happy  to  find  what  good  fortune  had  be- 
fallen her  daughter.  The  old  woman  pretended  she 
was,  but  in  her  heart  she  was  furious  that  a  king  had 
married  Dobrunka  and  not  Zloboha. 

After  a  few  days  she  said,  very  artfully,  to  Do- 
brunka: "I  know,  my  dear  daughter,  that  you 
think  your  sister,  Zloboha,  was  not  always  kind  to 
you  in  times  past.  She's  sorry  now  and  I  want  you 
to  forgive  her  and  invite  her  here  to  the  palaQe." 

"  I  should  have  asked  her  before  this,"  said  Do- 
brunka, "  but  I  didn't  suppose  she  wanted  to  come. 
If  you  wish  it,  we'll  go  for  her  at  once." 

"  Yes,  dear  daughter,  I  do  wish  it." 

So  the  queen  ordered  the  carriage  and  off  they 
went  to  fetch  Zloboha.  When  they  came  to  the  edge 
of  the  woods  they  alighted  and  ordered  the  coachman 
to  await  them  there.  They  went  on  afoot  to  the  cot- 
tage where  Zloboha  was  expecting  them. 

Zloboha  came  running  out  to  meet  them.  She 
threw  her  arms  about  lier  sister's  neck  and  kissed 


192  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

her  and  wished  her  happiness.  Then  the  wicked 
sister  and  the  wicked  mother  led  poor  unsuspecting 
Dobrunka  into  the  house.  Once  inside  Zloboha  took 
a  knife  that  she  had  ready  and  struck  Dobrunka. 
Then  they  cut  off  Dobrunka's  hands  and  feet,  gouged 
out  her  eyes,  and  hid  her  poor  mutilated  body  in  the 
woods.  Zloboha  and  her  mother  wrapped  up  the 
hands  and  the  feet  and  the  eyes  to  carry  them  back 
with  them  to  the  palace  because  they  believed  that  it 
would  be  easier  for  them  to  deceive  the  king  if  they 
had  with  them  something  that  had  belonged  to  Do- 
brunka. 

Then  Zloboha  put  on  Dobrunka's  clothes  and  she 
and  her  mother  rode  back  to  town  in  the  carriage  and 
nobody  could  tell  that  she  wasn't  Dobrunka.  In  the 
palace  the  attendants  soon  whispered  to  each  other 
that  their  mistress  was  kinder  to  them  at  first,  but 
they  suspected  nothing. 

In  the  meantime  poor  Dobrunka,  who  was  not 
quite  dead,  had  been  found  by  a  hermit  and  carried  by 
him  to  a  cave.  She  awoke  to  feel  a  kind  hand  sooth- 
ing her  wounds  and  putting  some  reviving  drops  be- 
tween her  lips.  Of  course,  she  could  not  see  who  it 
was,  for  she  had  no  eyes.  As  she  regained  conscious- 
ness she  remembered  what  had  happened  and  began 


THE  GOLDEN  SPINNING  WHEEL  193 

bitterly  to  upbraid  her  unnatural  mother  and  her 
cruel  sister. 

"  Be  quiet.  Do  not  complain,"  a  low  voice  said. 
"All  will  yet  be  well." 

"How  can  all  be  well,"  wept  poor  Dobrunka, 
"when  I  have  no  eyes  and  no  feet  and  no  hands?  I 
shall  never  again  see  the  bright  sun  and  the  green 
woods.  I  shall  never  again  hold  in  my  arms  my  be- 
loved Dobromil.  Nor  shall  I  be  able  to  spin  fine  flax 
for  his  shirts!  Oh,  what  did  I  ever  do  to  you,  wicked 
mother,  or  to  you,  cruel  sister,  that  you  have  done 
this  to  me? " 

The  hermit  went  to  the  entrance  of  the  cave  and 
called  three  times.  Soon  a  boy  came  running  in  answer 
to  the  caD. 

"  Wait  here  till  I  come  back,"  the  hermit  said. 

He  returned  in  a  short  time  with  a  golden  spinning 
wheel  in  his  arms.  He  said  to  the  boy: 

"  My  son,  take  this  spinning  wheel  to  town  to  the 
king's  palace.  Sit  down  in  the  courtyard  near  the 
gate  and  if  any  one  asks  you  for  how  much  you  will 
sell  the  wheel,  say:  *  For  two  eyes.'  Unless  you  are 
offered  two  eyes  for  it  bring  it  back." 

The  boy  took  the  spinning  wheel  and  carried  it  to 
town  as  the  hermit  directed.  He  went  to  the  palace 


194  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

and  sat  down  in  the  courtyard  near  the  gate,  just  as 
Zloboha  and  her  mother  were  returning  from  a  walk. 

"Look,  mother!"  Zloboha  cried.  "What  a  gor- 
geous spinning  wheel!  I  could  spin  on  that  myself! 
Wait.  I'll  ask  whether  it's  for  sale." 

She  went  over  to  the  boy  and  asked  him  would  he 
sell  the  spinning  wheel. 

"  Yes,"  he  said,  "  if  I  get  what  I  want." 

"  What  do  you  want?  " 

"  I  want  two  eyes." 

"Two  eyes?" 

"  Yes,  two  eyes.  My  father  told  me  to  accept 
nothing  for  it  but  two  eyes.  So  I  can't  sell  it  for 
money." 

The  longer  Zloboha  looked  at  the  spinning  wheel 
the  more  beautiful  it  seemed  to  her  and  the  more  she 
wanted  it.  Suddenly  she  remembered  Dobrunka's  eyes 
that  she  had  hidden  away. 

"  Mother,"  she  said,  "  as  a  queen  I  ought  to  have 
something  no  one  else  has.  When  the  king  comes 
home  he  will  want  me  to  spin,  and  just  think  how 
lovely  I  should  look  sitting  at  this  golden  wheel.  Now 
we've  got  those  eyes  of  Dobrunka's.  Let  us  exchange 
them  for  the  golden  spinning  wheel.  We'll  still  have 
the  hands  and  feet." 


THE  GOLDEN  SPINNING  WHEEL  195 

The  mother,  who  was  as  foolish  as  the  daughter, 
agreed.  So  Zloboha  got  the  eyes  and  gave  them  to 
the  boy  for  the  spinning  wheel. 

The  boy  hurried  back  to  the  forest  and  handed 
the  eyes  to  the  hermit.  The  old  man  took  them  and 
gently  put  them  into  place.  Instantly  Dobrunka 
could  see. 

The  first  thing  she  saw  was  the  old  hermit  himself 
with  his  tall  spare  figure  and  long  white  beard.  The 
last  rays  of  the  setting  sun  shone  through  the  open- 
ing of  the  cave  and  lighted  up  his  grave  and  gentle 
face.  He  looked  to  Dobrunka  like  one  of  God's  own 
saints. 

"  How  can  I  ever  repay  you?  "  she  said,  "  for  all 
your  loving  kindness?  Oh,  that  I  could  cover  your 
hands  with  kisses !  " 

"  Be  quiet,  my  child,"  the  old  man  said.  "  If  you 
are  patient  all  will  yet  be  well." 

He  went  out  and  soon  returned  with  some  delicious 
fruit  on  a  wooden  plate.  This  he  carried  over  to  the 
bed  of  leaves  and  moss  upon  which  Dobrunka  was 
lying  and  with  his  own  hands  he  fed  Dobrunka  as  a 
mother  would  feed  her  helpless  child.  Then  he  gave 
her  a  drink  from  a  wooden  cup. 

Early  the  next  morning  the  hermit  again  called 


196  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

three  times  and  the  boy  came  running  at  once.  This 
time  the  hermit  handed  him  a  golden  distaff  and  said: 

"  Take  this  distaff  and  go  to  the  palace.  Sit  down 
in  the  courtyard  near  the  gate.  If  any  one  asks  you 
what  you  want  for  the  distaff,  say  two  feet  and  don't 
exchange  it  for  anything  else." 

Zloboha  was  standing  at  a  window  of  the  palace 
looking  down  into  the  courtyard  when  she  saw  the  boy 
with  a  golden  distaff. 

"Mother!"  she  cried.  "Come  and  see!  There's 
that  boy  again  sitting  near  the  gate  and  this  time  he 
has  a  golden  distaff!" 

Mother  and  daughter  at  once  went  out  to  question 
the  boy. 

"What  do  you  want  for  the  distaff?"  Zloboha 
asked. 

"  Two  feet,"  the  boy  said. 

"  Two  feet? " 

"  Yes,  two  feet." 

"  Tell  me,  what  will  your  father  do  with  two  feet? " 

"  I  don't  know.  I  never  ask  my  father  what  he 
does  with  anything.  But  whatever  he  tells  me  to  do, 
I  do.  That  is  why  I  can't  exchange  the  distaff  for 
anything  but  two  feet." 

"  Listen,  mother,"  Zloboha  said,  "  now  that  I  have 


THE  GOLDEN  SPINNING  WHEEL  197 

a  golden  spinning  wheel,  I  ought  to  have  a  golden 
distaff  to  go  with  it.  You  know  we  have  those  two 
feet  of  Dobrunka's  hidden  away.  What  if  I  gave  them 
to  the  boy?  We  shall  still  have  Dobrunka's  hands." 

"  Well,  do  as  you  please,"  the  old  woman  said. 

So  Zloboha  went  and  got  Dobrunka's  feet,  wrapped 
them  up,  and  gave  them  to  the  boy  in  exchange  for 
the  distaff.  Delighted  with  her  bargain,  Zloboha  went 
to  her  chamber  and  the  boy  hurried  back  to  the  forest. 

He  gave  the  feet  to  the  hermit  and  the  old  man 
carried  them  at  once  inside  the  cave.  Then  he  rubbed 
Dobrunka's  wounds  with  some  healing  salve  and  stuck 
on  the  feet.  Dobrunka  wanted  to  jump  up  from  the 
couch  and  walk  but  the  old  man  restrained  her. 

"  Lie  quiet  where  you  are  until  you  are  all  well 
and  then  I'll  let  you  get  up." 

Dobrunka  knew  that  whatever  the  old  hermit  said 
was  for  her  good,  so  she  rested  as  he  ordered. 

On  the  third  morning  the  hermit  called  the  boy 
and  gave  him  a  golden  spindle. 

"  Go  to  the  palace  again,"  he  said,  "  and  today 
offer  this  spindle  for  sale.  If  any  one  asks  you  what 
you  want  for  the  spindle,  say  two  hands.  Don't  ac- 
cept anything  else." 

The  boy  took  the  golden  spindle  and  when  he 


198  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

reached  the  palace  and  sat  down  in  the  courtyard  near 
the  gate,  Zloboha  ran  up  to  him  at  once. 

"  What  do  you  want  for  that  spindle? "  she  asked. 

"  Two  hands,"  the  boy  said. 

"  It's  a  strange  thing  you  won't  sell  anything  for 
money." 

"  I  have  to  ask  what  my  father  tells  me  to  ask." 

Zloboha  was  in  a  quandary.  She  wanted  the  golden 
spindle,  for  it  was  very  beautiful.  It  would  go  well 
with  the  spinning  wheel  and  would  be  something  to 
be  proud  of.  Yet  she  didn't  want  to  be  left  without 
anything  that  had  belonged  to  Dobrunka. 

"  But  really,  mother,"  she  whined,  "  I  don't  see 
why  I  have  to  keep  something  of  Dobrunka's  so  that 
Dobromil  will  love  me  as  he  loved  her.  I'm  sure  I'm 
as  pretty  as  Dobrunka  ever  was." 

"  Well,"  said  the  old  woman,  "  it  would  be  better 
if  you  kept  them.  I've  often  heard  that's  a  good  way 
to  guard  a  man's  love.  However,  do  as  you  like." 

For  a  moment  Zloboha  was  undecided.  Then, 
tossing  her  head,  she  ran  and  got  the  hands  and  gave 
them  to  the  boy. 

Zloboha  took  the  spindle  and,  delighted  with  her 
bargain,  carried  it  into  her  chamber  where  she  had  the 
wheel  and  distaff.  The  old  woman  was  a  little  troubled, 


THE  GOLDEN  SPINNING  WHEEL  199 

for  she  feared  Zloboha  had  acted  foolishly.  But  Zlo- 
boha,  confident  of  her  beauty  and  her  ability  to  charm 
the  king,  only  laughed  at  her. 

As  soon  as  the  boy  had  delivered  the  hands  to  the 
hermit,  the  old  man  carried  them  into  the  cave.  Then 
he  anointed  the  wounds  on  Dobrunka' s  arms  with  the 
same  healing  salve  that  he  used  before,  and  stuck  on 
the  hands. 

As  soon  as  Dobrunka  could  move  them  she  jumped 
up  from  the  couch  and,  falling  at  the  hermit's  feet, 
she  kissed  the  hands  that  had  been  so  good  to  her. 

"  A  thousand  thanks  to  you,  my  benefactor! "  she 
cried  with  tears  of  joy  in  her  eyes.  "  I  can  never 
repay  you,  I  know  that,  but  ask  of  me  anything  I  can 
do  and  I'll  do  it." 

"  I  ask  nothing,"  the  old  man  said,  gently  raising 
her  to  her  feet.  "  What  I  did  for  you  I  would  do 
for  any  one.  I  only  did  my  duty.  So  say  no  more 
about  it.  And  now,  my  child,  farewell.  You  are  to 
stay  here  until  some  one  comes  for  you.  Have  no 
concern  for  food.  I  shall  send  you  what  you  need." 

Dobrunka  wanted  to  say  something  to  him,  but  he 
disappeared  and  she  never  saw  him  again. 

Now  she  was  able  to  run  out  of  the  cave  and  look 
once  more  upon  God's  green  world.  Now  for  the  first 


200  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

time  in  her  life  she  knew  what  it  meant  to  be  strong 
and  well.  She  threw  herself  on  the  ground  and  kissed 
it.  She  hugged  the  slender  birches  and  danced  around 
them,  simply  bursting  with  love  for  every  living  thing. 
She  reached  out  longing  hands  towards  the  town  and 
would  probably  have  gone  there  running  all  the  dis- 
tance but  she  remembered  the  words  of  the  old  hermit 
and  knew  that  she  must  stay  where  she  was. 

Meanwhile  strange  things  were  happening  at  the 
palace.  Messengers  brought  word  that  the  king  was 
returning  from  war  and  there  was  great  rejoicing  on 
every  side.  The  king's  own  household  was  particularly 
happy,  for  service  under  the  new  mistress  was  growing 
more  unpleasant  every  day.  As  for  Zloboha  and  her 
mother,  it  must  be  confessed  that  they  were  a  little 
frightened  over  the  outcome  of  their  plot. 

Finally  the  king  arrived.  Zloboha  with  smiling  face 
went  to  meet  him.  He  took  her  to  his  heart  with 
great  tenderness  and  from  that  moment  Zloboha  had 
no  fear  that  he  would  recognize  her. 

A  great  feast  was  at  once  prepared,  for  the  king 
had  brought  home  with  him  many  of  his  nobles  to  rest 
and  make  merry  after  the  hardships  of  war. 

Zloboha  as  she  sat  at  Dobromil's  side  could  not  take 
her  eyes  off  him.  The  handsome  young  soldier  caught 


THE  GOLDEN  SPINNING  WHEEL  201 

her  fancy  and  she  was  rejoiced  that  she  had  put 
Dobrunka  out  of  the  way. 

When  they  finished  feasting,  Dobromil  asked  her: 
"  What  have  you  been  doing  all  this  time,  my  dear 
Dobrunka?  I'm  sure  youVe  been  spinning." 

"  That's  true,  my  dear  husband,"  Zloboha  said  in 
a  flattering  tone.  "  My  old  spinning  wheel  got  broken, 
so  I  bought  a  new  one,  a  lovely  golden  one." 

"You  must  show  me  it  at  once,"  the  king  said, 
and  he  took  Zloboha's  arm  and  led  her  away. 

He  went  with  her  to  her  chamber  where  she  had  the 
golden  spinning  wheel  and  she  took  it  out  and  showed 
it  to  him.  Dobromil  admired  it  greatly. 

"  Sit  down,  Dobrunka,"  he  said,  "  and  spin,  I 
should  like  to  see  you  again  at  the  distaff." 

Zloboha  at  once  sat  down  behind  the  wheel.  She 
put  her  foot  to  the  treadle  and  started  the  wheel.  In- 
stantly the  wheel  sang  out  and  this  is  what  it  sang: 

"Master,  master,  don't  believe  her! 
She's  a  cruel  and  base  deceiver! 
She  is  not  your  own  sweet  wife! 
She  destroyed  Dobrunka's  life!" 

Zloboha  sat  stunned  and  motionless  while  the  king 
looked  wildly  about  to  see  where  the  song  came  from. 


202  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

When  he  could  see  nothing,  he  told  her  to  spin 
some  more.  Trembling,  she  obeyed.  Hardly  had  she 
put  her  foot  to  the  treadle  when  the  voice  again  sang 
out: 

"  Master,  master,  don't  believe  her! 
She's  a  cruel  and  base  deceiver! 
She  has  killed  her  sister  good 

And  hid  her  body  in  the  wood!" 

j 

Beside  herself  with  fright,  Zloboha  wanted  to  flee 
the  spinning  wheel,  but  Dobromil  restrained  her.  Sud- 
denly her  face  grew  so  hideous  with  fear  that  Dobromil 
saw  she  was  not  his  own  gentle  Dobrunka.  With  a 
rough  hand  he  forced  her  back  to  the  stool  and  in  a 
stern  voice  ordered  her  to  spin. 

Again  she  turned  the  fatal  wheel  and  then  for  the 
third  time  the  voice  sang  out: 

"Master,  master,  haste  away! 
To  the  wood  without  delay! 
In  a  cave  your  wife,  restored, 
Yearns  for  you,  her  own  true  lord! " 

At  those  words  Dobromil  released  Zloboha  and  ran 
like  mad  out  of  the  chamber  and  down  into  the  court- 


THE  GOLDEN  SPINNING  WHEEL  203 

yard  where  he  ordered  his  swiftest  horse  to  be  saddled 
instantly.  The  attendants,  frightened  by  his  appear- 
ance, lost  no  time  and  almost  at  once  Dobromil  was 
on  his  horse  and  flying  over  hill  and  dale  so  fast  that 
the  horse's  hoofs  scarcely  touched  the  earth. 

When  he  reached  the  forest  he  did  not  know  where 
to  look  for  the  cave.  He  rode  straight  into  the  wood 
until  a  white  doe  crossed  his  path.  Then  the  horse  in 
fright  plunged  to  one  side  and  pushed  through  bushes 
and  undergrowth  to  the  base  of  a  big  rock.  Dobromil 
dismounted  and  tied  the  horse  to  a  tree. 

He  climbed  the  rock  and  there  he  saw  something 
white  gleaming  among  the  trees.  He  crept  forward 
cautiously  and  suddenly  found  himself  in  front  of  a 
cave.  Imagine  then  his  joy,  when  he  enters  and  finds 
his  own  dear  wife  Dobrunka. 

As  he  kisses  her  and  looks  into  her  sweet  gentle 
face  he  says:  "Where  were  my  eyes  that  I  was 
deceived  for  an  instant  by  your  wicked  sister?  " 

"What  have  you  heard  about  my  sister?"  asked 
Dobrunka,  who  as  yet  knew  nothing  of  the  magic 
spinning  wheel. 

So  the  king  told  her  all  that  had  happened  and 
she  in  turn  told  him  what  had  befallen  her. 

"  And  from  the  time  the  hermit  disappeared,"  she 


204  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

said  in  conclusion,  "  the  little  boy  has  brought  me  food 
every  day." 

They  sat  down  on  the  grass  and  together  they  ate 
some  fruit  from  the  wooden  plate.  When  they  rose 
to  go  they  took  the  wooden  plate  and  the  cup  away 
with  them  as  keepsakes. 

Dobromil  seated  his  wife  in  front  of  him  on  the 
horse  and  sped  homewards  with  her.  All  his  people 
were  at  the  palace  gate  waiting  to  tell  him  what  had 
happened  in  his  absence. 

It  seems  that  the  devil  himself  had  come  and 
before  their  very  eyes  had  carried  off  his  wife  and 
mother-in-law.  They  looked  at  each  other  in  amaze- 
ment as  Dobromil  rode  up  with  what  seemed  to  be 
the  same  wife  whom  the  devil  had  so  recently  carried 
off. 

Dobromil  explained  to  them  what  had  happened 
and  with  one  voice  they  called  down  punishment  on 
the  head  of  the  wicked  sister. 

The  golden  spinning  wheel  had  vanished.  So 
Dobrunka  hunted  out  her  old  one  and  set  to  work  at 
once  to  spin  for  her  husband's  shirts.  No  one  in  the 
kingdom  had  such  fine  shirts  as  Dobromil  and  no  one 
was  happier. 


THE  GOLDEN  GODMOTHER 

THE   STORY  OF   POOR   LUKAS 


THE  GOLDEN  GODMOTHER 

THERE  was  once  a  wealthy  farmer  named  Lukas 
who  was  so  careless  in  the  management  of  his 
affairs  that  there  came  a  time  when  all  his  property 
was  gone  and  he  had  nothing  left  but  one  old  tumble- 
down cottage.  Then  when  it  was  too  late  he  realized 
how  foolish  he  had  been. 

He  had  always  prayed  for  a  child  but  during  the 
years  of  his  prosperity  God  had  never  heard  him. 
Now  when  he  was  so  poor  that  he  had  nothing  to  eat, 
his  wife  gave  birth  to  a  little  daughter.  He  looked 
at  the  poor  unwelcome  little  stranger  and  sighed,  for 
he  didn't  know  how  he  was  going  to  take  care  of  it. 

The  first  thing  to  be  thought  about  was  the 
christening.  Lukas  went  to  the  wife  of  a  laborer  who 
lived  nearby  and  asked  her  to  be  godmother.  She 
refused  because  she  didn't  see  that  it  would  do  her 
any  good  to  be  godmother  to  a  child  of  a  man  as  poor 
as  Lukas. 

"  You  see,  Lukas,  what  happens  to  a  man  who  has 

207 


208  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

wasted  his  property,"  his  wife  said.  "  While  we  were 
rich  the  burgomaster  himself  was  our  friend,  but  now 
even  that  poverty-stricken  woman  won't  raise  a  finger 
to  help  us.  .  .  .  See  how  the  poor  infant  shivers,  for 
I  haven't  even  any  old  rags  in  which  to  wrap  it!  And 
it  has  to  lie  on  the  bare  straw!  God  have  mercy  on 
us,  how  poor  we  are!"  So  she  wept  over  the  baby, 
covering  it  with  tears  and  kisses. 

Suddenly  a  happy  thought  came  to  her.  She 
wiped  away  her  tears  and  said  to  her  husband: 

"  I  beg  you,  Lukas,  go  to  our  old  neighbor,  the 
burgomaster's  wife.  She  is  wealthy.  I'm  sure  she 
hasn't  forgotten  that  I  was  godmother  to  her  child. 
Go  and  ask  her  if  she  will  be  godmother  to  mine." 

"I  don't  think  she  will,"  Lukas  answered,  "but 
I'll  ask  her." 

With  a  heavy  heart  he  went  by  the  fields  and  the 
barns  that  had  once  been  his  own  and  entered  the 
house  of  his  old  friend,  the  burgomaster. 

"  God  bless  you,  neighbor,"  he  said  to  the  burgo- 
master's wife.  "  My  wife  sends  her  greeting  and  bids 
me  tell  you  that  God  has  given  us  a  little  daughter 
whom  she  wants  you  to  hold  at  the  christening." 

The  burgomaster's  wife  looked  at  him  and  laughed 
in  his  face. 


THE  GOLDEN  GODMOTHER  209 

"My  dear  Lukas,  of  course  I  should  like  to  do 
this  for  you,  but  times  are  hard.  Nowadays  a  person 
needs  every  penny  and  it  would  take  a  good  deal  to 
help  such  poor  beggars  as  you.  Why  don't  you  ask 
some  one  else?  Why  have  you  picked  me  out? " 

"  Because  my  wife  was  godmother  to  your  child." 

"  Oh,  that's  it,  is  it?  What  you  did  for  me  at  that 
time  was  a  loan,  was  it?  And  now  you  want  me  to 
give  you  back  as  much  as  you  gave  me,  eh?  I'll  do 
no  such  thing!  If  I  were  as  generous  as  you  used  to 
be,  I'd  soon  go  the  way  you  have  gone.  No!  I  shall 
not  walk  one  step  toward  that  christening! " 

Without  answering  her,  Lukas  turned  and  went 
home  in  tears. 

"  You  see,  dear  wife,"  he  said  when  he  got  there, 
"  it  turned  out  as  I  knew  it  would.  But  don't  be 
discouraged,  for  God  never  entirely  forsakes  any  one. 
Give  me  the  child  and  I  myself  will  carry  it  to  the 
christening  and  the  first  person  I  meet  I  shall  take 
for  godmother." 

Weeping  all  the  while,  the  wife  wrapped  the  baby 
in  a  piece  of  old  skirt  and  placed  it  in  her  husband's 
arms. 

On  the  way  to  the  chapel,  Lukas  came  to  a  cross- 
roads where  he  met  an  old  woman. 


210  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

"  Grandmother,"  he  said,  "  will  you  be  godmother 
to  my  child?"  And  he  explained  to  her  how  every 
one  else  had  refused  on  account  of  his  poverty  and 
how  in  desperation  he  had  decided  to  ask  the  first  per- 
son he  met.  "  And  so,  dear  grandmother,"  he  con- 
cluded, "  I  am  asking  you." 

"  Of  course  I'll  be  godmother,"  the  old  woman 
said.  "  Here,  give  me  the  dear  wee  thing! " 

So  Lukas  gave  her  the  child  and  together  they 
went  on  to  the  chapel. 

As  they  arrived  the  priest  was  just  ready  to  leave. 
The  sexton  hurried  up  to  him  and  whispered  that  a 
christening  party  was  coming. 

"  Who  is  it? "  he  asked,  impatiently. 

"  Oh,  it's  only  that  good-for-nothing  of  a  Lukas 
who  is  poorer  than  a  church  mouse." 

The  godmother  saw  that  the  sexton  was  whispering 
something  unfriendly,  so  she  pulled  out  a  shining 
ducat  from  her  pocket,  stepped  up  to  the  priest,  and 
pressed  it  into  his  hand. 

The  priest  blinked  his  eyes  in  amazement,  looking 
first  at  the  ducat  and  then  at  the  shabby  old  woman 
who  had  given  it.  He  stuffed  the  ducat  into  his 
pocket,  whispered  hurriedly  to  the  sexton  to  bring  him 
the  font,  and  then  christened  the  child  of  poor  Lukas 


THE  GOLDEN  GODMOTHER  211 

with  as  much  ceremony  as  the  child  of  the  richest 
townsman.  The  little  girl  received  the  name  Marishka. 

After  the  christening  the  priest  accompanied  the 
godmother  to  the  door  of  the  chapel  and  the  sexton 
went  even  farther  until  he,  too,  received  the  reward 
for  which  he  was  hoping. 

When  Lukas  and  the  old  woman  came  to  the  cross- 
roads where  they  had  met,  she  handed  him  the  child. 
Then  she  reached  into  her  pocket,  drew  out  another 
golden  ducat  which  she  stuck  into  a  fold  of  the  child's 
clothes,  and  said :  "  From  this  ducat  with  which  I 
endow  my  godchild,  you  will  have  enough  to  bring  her 
up  properly.  She  will  always  be  a  joy  and  a  comfort 
to  you,  and  when  she  grows  up  she  will  make  a  happy 
marriage.  Now  good-by." 

She  drew  a  green  wand  from  her  bosom  and 
touched  the  earth.  Instantly  a  lovely  rosebush  ap- 
peared, covered  with  blooms.  At  the  same  moment 
the  old  woman  vanished. 

In  bewilderment  Lukas  looked  this  way  and  that 
but  she  was  gone.  He  was  so  surprised  that  he  didn't 
know  what  had  happened.  I  really  think  he  would 
be  standing  on  that  same  spot  to  this  day  if  little 
Marishka  had  not  begun  to  cry  and  by  this  reminded 
him  of  home. 


212  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

His  wife,  meantime,  was  anxiously  awaiting  him. 
She,  poor  soul,  was  suffering  the  pangs  of  hunger, 
thirst,  and  bodily  pain.  There  wasn't  a  mouthful  of 
bread  in  the  house,  nor  a  cent  of  money. 

As  Lukas  entered  the  room,  he  said:  "Weep  no 
more,  dear  wife.  Here  is  your  little  Marishka.  But 
before  you  kiss  the  child,  take  out  the  christening  gift 
that  you  will  find  tucked  away  in  her  clothes.  From 
it  you  will  know  what  an  excellent  godmother  she 
has." 

The  wife  reached  into  the  clothes  and  pulled  out 
not  one  ducat  but  a  whole  handful  of  ducats! 

"  Oh!  "  she  gasped  and  in  her  surprise  she  dropped 
the  ducats  and  they  rolled  about  in  the  straw  that  lit- 
tered the  wretched  floor. 

"Husband!  Husband!  Who  gave  you  so  much 
money?  Just  look!" 

"  I  have  already  looked  and  at  first  when  I  saw 
them  I  was  more  surprised  than  you  are.  Now  let 
me  tell  you  where  they  come  from." 

So  Lukas  related  to  his  wife  all  that  had  happened 
at  the  christening.  In  conclusion  he  said:  "When  I 
saw  the  old  woman  was  really  gone,  I  started  home. 
On  the  way  curiosity  overcame  me  and  I  drew  out 
the  christening  present  and  instead  of  one  ducat  I 


THE  GOLDEN  GODMOTHER  213 

found  a  handful.  I  can  tell  you  I  was  surprised  but 
instead  of  letting  them  drop  on  the  ground  I  let  them 
slip  back  into  the  baby's  clothes.  I  said  to  myself: 
'  Let  your  wife  also  have  the  pleasure  of  pulling  out 
those  golden  horses.'  And  now,  dear  wife,  leave  off 
exclaiming.  Give  thanks  to  God  for  that  which  he 
has  bestowed  upon  us  and  help  me  gather  up  the 
golden  darlings,  for  we  don't  want  any  one  coming  in 
and  spying  on  us  just  now." 

As  they  began  picking  them  up,  they  had  a  new 
surprise.  Wherever  there  was  one  ducat,  there  they 
found  ten!  When  they  got  them  all  together  they 
made  a  fine  big  heap. 

"  Oh,  dear,  oh,  dear! "  said  the  woman  as  she  gazed 
at  the  pile.  "  Who  knows  whether  this  money  will  be 
blessed  to  our  use?  Perhaps  that  old  woman  was  an 
evil  spirit  who  just  wants  to  buy  our  souls!" 

Lukas  looked  at  his  wife  reprovingly.  "  How  can 
you  be  so  foolish?  Do  you  suppose  an  evil  spirit 
would  have  gone  with  me  to  church,  allowed  herself 
to  be  sprinkled  with  holy  water,  yes,  and  even  herself 
make  the  sign  of  the  cross!  Never!  I  don't  say  that 
she  is  just  an  ordinary  human  being,  but  I  do  say 
that  she  must  be  a  good  spirit  whom  God  has  sent  to 
us  to  help  us.  I'm  sure  we  can  keep  this  money  with 


214  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

a  clear  conscience.  The  first  question  is  where  to  hide 
it  so  that  no  one  can  find  it.  For  the  present  I  shall 
put  it  into  the  chest,  but  tomorrow  night  I  shall  bury 
it  under  the  pear  tree.  And  one  thing,  wife,  I  warn 
you:  don't  say  anything  about  it  to  any  one.  I  shall 
take  one  ducat  and  go  to  the  burgomaster's  wife  and 
ask  her  to  change  it.  Then  I  shall  go  buy  some  milk 
and  eggs  and  bread  and  flour,  and  I'll  bring  back  a 
woman  with  me  who  will  make  us  a  fine  supper. 
Tomorrow  I'll  go  to  town  and  buy  some  clothes  and 
feather  beds.  After  that  what  else  shall  I  buy?  Can 
you  guess?" 

"  The  best  thing  to  do  would  be  to  buy  back  our 
old  property — the  house,  the  fields,  and  the  live  stock, 
and  then  manage  it  more  wisely  than  before.** 

"  You're  right,  wife,  that's  just  what  I'll  do.  And 
I  will  manage  prudently  this  time!  I  have  learned 
my  lesson,  I  can  tell  you,  for  poverty  is  a  good 
teacher." 

When  Lukas  had  hidden  the  money  in  the  chest 
and  turned  the  key,  he  took  one  ducat  and  went  out 
to  make  his  purchases.  While  he  was  gone  his  wife 
spent  the  time  nursing  the  child  and  weaving  happy 
dreams  that  now,  she  was  sure,  would  come  to  pass. 

After  a  short  hour  the  door  opened  and  Lukas  and 


THE  GOLDEN  GODMOTHER  215 

a  red-cheeked  maid  entered.  The  maid  carried  a  great 
pail  of  foaming  milk.  Lukas  followed  her  with  a 
basket  of  eggs  in  one  hand  and  on  top  of  the  eggs  two 
big  round  brown  cakes,  and  in  the  other  hand  a  load 
of  feather  beds  tied  in  a  knot. 

"God  be  with  you!"  said  the  maid,  placing  the 
milk  pail  on  the  bench.  "  My  mistress,  the  burgo- 
master's wife,  greets  you  and  sends  you  some  milk  for 
pudding.  If  there  is  anything  else  you  need  you  are 
to  let  her  know."  The  maid  curtsied  and  went  away 
before  the  poor  woman  could  express  her  thanks. 

Lukas  laughed  and  said:  "  You  see,  wife,  what  just 
one  ducat  did!  If  they  knew  how  many  more  we  had 
they  would  carry  us  about  in  their  arms!  The  burgo- 
master's wife  has  sent  us  all  these  things.  She  is 
lending  us  feather  beds  until  tomorrow  and  she  is 
going  to  send  us  an  old  woman  to  help  us  out.  J  told 
her  our  child  had  received  a  handful  of  ducats  as  a 
christening  gift.  If  she  comes  here  to  see  you,  make 
up  your  mind  what  you're  going  to  say." 

Then  Lukas  built  a  fire.  Presently  the  old  woman 
came  and  soon  good  hot  soup  was  ready.  It  was  just 
plain  milk  soup,  but  I  can  tell  you  it  tasted  better  to 
hungry  Lukas  and  his  wife  than  the  rich  food  which 
the  king  himself  ate  that  day  from  a  golden  platter. 


216  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

The  next  day  after  breakfast  Lukas  set  out  for 
town.  The  burgomaster's  wife  took  advantage  of  his 
absence  to  visit  his  wife  and  find  out  what  she  could 
about  the  money. 

"  My  dear  neighbor,"  she  said,  after  she  had  made 
the  necessary  inquiries  about  health,  "  the  blessing  of 
God  came  into  your  house  with  that  child." 

"  Oh,"  said  the  other,  "  if  you  mean  the  christening 
gift,  it  isn't  so  very  much.  A  handful  of  ducats  soon 
roll  away.  However,  may  God  repay  that  good 
woman,  the  godmother.  At  least  we  can  now  buy 
back  our  old  farm  and  live  like  respectable  people." 

On  the  way  home  the  burgomaster's  wife  stopped 
at  the  houses  of  her  various  friends  and  gave  them  a 
full  account  of  Lukas'  wealth.  Before  noon  every 
small  boy  in  the  village  knew  that  at  Lukas'  house 
they  had  a  hogshead  of  ducats. 

In  the  evening  Lukas  came  back  from  town  driving 
a  cart  that  was  piled  high  with  furniture  and  clothing 
and  feather  beds  and  food.  The  next  day  he  bought 
back  his  old  farm  with  the  cattle  and  the  implements. 

This  marked  the  beginning  of  a  new  life  for  Lukas. 
He  set  to  work  with  industry  and  put  into  practice 
all  the  lessons  that  poverty  had  taught  him. 

He  and  his  wife  lived  happily.    Their  greatest  joy 


THE  GOLDEN  GODMOTHER  217 

was  Marishka,  a  little  girl  so  charming  and  so  pretty 
that  every  one  loved  her  on  sight. 

"Dear  neighbor,"  all  the  old  women  used  to  say 
to  the  child's  mother,  "  that  girl  of  yours  will  never 
grow  up.  She's  far  too  wise  for  her  years!" 

But  Marishka  did  very  well.     She  grew  up  into  a 
beautiful  young  woman  and  one  day  a  prince  saw  herv     . 
fell  in  love  with  her,  and  married  her.     So  the  old\/ 
godmother's  prophecy  that  Marishka  would  make  a 
happy  marriage  was  fulfilled. 


THE  GOLDEN  DUCK 

THE   STORY   OF   PEINCE  EADUZ 
AND   THE   FAITHFUL  LUDMILA 


THE  GOLDEN  DUCK 

ONCE  upon  a  time  there  was  a  king  who  had  four 
sons.  One  day  the  queen  said  to  him: 

"It  is  time  that  one  of  our  boys  went  out  into  the 
world  to  make  his  fortune." 

"  I  have  been  thinking  that  very  same  thing,"  the 
king  said.  "  Let  us  get  ready  Raduz,  our  youngest, 
and  send  him  off  with  God's  blessing." 

Preparations  were  at  once  made  and  in  a 
few  days  Raduz  bid  his  parents  farewell  and  set 
forth. 

He  traveled  many  days  and  many  nights  over 
desert  plains  and  through  dense  forests  until  he  came 
to  a  high  mountain.  Halfway  up  the  mountain  he 
found  a  house. 

"  I'll  stop  here,"  he  thought  to  himself,  "  and  see 
if  they'll  take  me  into  service." 

Now  this  house  was  occupied  by  three  people:  old 
Yezibaba,  who  was  a  bad  old  witch;  her  husband,  who 
was  a  wizard  but  not  so  bad  as  Yezibaba;  and  their 

221 


222  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

daughter,  Ludmila,  the  sweetest,  kindest  girl  that  two 
wicked  parents  ever  had. 

"  Good  day  to  you  all,"  Raduz  said,  as  he  stepped 
into  the  house  and  bowed. 

"  The  same  to  you,"  old  Yezibaba  answered. 
"  What  brings  you  here?  " 

"  I'm  looking  for  work  and  I  thought  you  might 
have  something  for  me  to  do." 

"  What  can  you  do?  "  Yezibaba  asked. 

"  I'll  do  anything  you  set  me  to.  I'm  trustworthy 
and  industrious." 

Yezibaba  didn't  want  to  take  him,  but  the  old  man 
wanted  him  and  in  the  end  Yezibaba  with  very  ill 
grace  consented  to  give  him  a  trial. 

He  rested  that  night  and  early  next  morning  pre- 
sented himself  to  the  old  witch  and  said: 

"  What  work  am  I  to  do  today,  mistress? " 

Yezibaba  looked  him  over  from  head  to  foot.  Then 
she  took  him  to  a  window  and  said:  "What  do  you 
see  out  there? " 

"  I  see  a  rocky  hillside." 

"  Good.  Go  to  that  rocky  hillside,  cultivate  it, 
plant  it  in  trees  that  will  grow,  blossom,  and  bear  fruit 
tonight.  Tomorrow  morning  bring  me  the  ripe  fruit. 
Here  is  a  wooden  hoe  with  which  to  work." 


THE  GOLDEN  DUCK  223 

"Alas,"  thought  Raduz  to  himself,  "did  ever  a 
man  have  such  a  task  as  this?  What  can  I  do  on  that 
rocky  hillside  with  a  wooden  hoe?  How  can  I  finish 
my  task  in  so  short  a  time?  " 

He  started  to  work  but  he  hadn't  struck  three  blows 
with  the  wooden  hoe  before  it  broke.  In  despair  he 
tossed  it  aside  and  sat  down  under  a  beech  tree. 

In  the  meantime  wicked  old  Yezibaba  had  cooked  a 
disgusting  mess  of  toads  which  she  told  Ludmila  to 
cany  out  to  the  serving  man  for  his  dinner.  Ludmila 
was  sorry  for  the  poor  young  man  who  had  fallen  into 
her  mother's  clutches  and  she  said  to  herself:  "  What 
has  he  done  to  deserve  such  unkind  treatment?  I  won't 
let  him  eat  this  nasty  mess.  I'll  share  my  own  dinner 
with  him." 

She  waited  until  her  mother  was  out  of  the  room, 
then  she  took  Yezibaba's  magic  wand  and  hid  it  under 
her  apron.  After  that  she  hurried  out  to  Raduz,  whom 
she  found  sitting  under  the  beech  tree  with  his  face 
in  his  hands. 

"  Don't  be  discouraged,"  she  said  to  him.  "  It  is 
true  your  mistress  cooked  you  a  mess  of  toads  for  your 
dinner  but,  see,  I  have  thrown  them  away  and  have 
brought  you  my  own  dinner  instead.  As  for  your 
task,"  she  continued,  "  I  will  help  you  with  that.  Here 


224  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

is  my  mother's  magic  wand.  I  have  but  to  strike  the 
rocky  hillside  and  by  tomorrow  the  trees  that  my 
mother  has  ordered  will  spring  up,  blossom,  and  bear 
fruit." 

Ludmila  did  as  she  promised.  She  struck  the 
ground  with  the  magic  wand  and  instantly  instead  of 
'the  rocky  hillside  there  appeared  an  orchard  with  rows 
on  rows  of  trees  that  blossomed  and  bore  fruit  as  you 
watched  them. 

Raduz  looked  from  Ludmila  to  the  orchard  and 
couldn't  find  words  with  which  to  express  his  surprise 
and  gratitude.  Then  Ludmila  spread  out  her  dinner 
and  together  they  ate  it,  laughing  merrily  and  talking. 
Raduz  would  have  kept  Ludmila  all  the  afternoon  but 
she  remembered  that  Yezibaba  was  waiting  for  her  and 
she  hurried  away. 

The  next  morning  Raduz  presented  Yezibaba  a 
basket  of  ripe  fruit.  She  sniffed  it  suspiciously  and 
then  very  grudgingly  acknowledged  that  he  had  ac- 
complished his  task. 

"  What  am  I  to  do  today?  "  Raduz  asked. 

Yezibaba  led  him  to  a  second  window  and  asked 
him  what  he  saw  there. 

"  I  see  a  rocky  ravine  covered  with  brambles,"  he 
said. 


THE  GOLDEN  DUCK  225 

"  Right.  Go  now  and  clear  away  the  brambles,  dig 
up  the  ravine,  and  plant  it  in  grape  vines.  Tomorrow 
morning  bring  me  the  ripe  grapes.  Here  is  another 
wooden  hoe  with  which  to  work." 

Raduz  took  the  hoe  and  set  to  work  manfully.  At 
the  first  blow  the  hoe  broke  into  three  pieces. 

"  Alas,"  he  thought,  "  what  is  going  to  happen  to 
me  now?  Unless  Ludmila  helps  me  again,  I  am  lost." 

At  home  Yezibaba  was  busy  cooking  a  mess  of 
serpents.  When  noonday  came  she  said  to  Ludmila: 
"  Here,  my  child,  is  dinner  for  the  serving  man.  Take 
it  out  to  him." 

Ludmila  took  the  nasty  mess  and,  as  on  the  day 
before,  threw  it  away.  Then  again  hiding  Yezibaba's 
wand  under  her  apron,  she  went  to  Raduz,  carrying  in 
her  hands  her  own  dinner. 

Raduz  saw  her  coming  and  at  once  his  heart  grew 
light  and  he  thought  to  himself  how  kind  Ludmila  was 
and  how  beautiful. 

"  I  have  been  sitting  here  idle,"  he  told  her,  "  for  at 
the  first  blow  my  hoe  broke.  Unless  you  help  me,  I 
don't  know  what  I  shall  do." 

"  Don't  worry,"  Ludmila  said.  "  It  is  true  your 
mistress  sent  you  a  mess  of  serpents  for  your  dinner, 
but  I  threw  them  out  and  have  brought  you  my  own 


226  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

dinner  instead.  And  I've  brought  the  magic  wand, 
too,  so  it  will  be  easy  enough  to  plant  a  vineyard  that 
will  produce  ripe  grapes  by  tomorrow  morning." 

They  ate  together  and  after  dinner  Ludmila  took 
the  wand  and  struck  the  earth.  At  once  a  vineyard 
appeared  and,  as  they  watched,  the  vines  blossomed 
and  the  blooms  turned  to  grapes. 

It  was  harder  than  before  for  Raduz  to  let  Ludmila 
go,  for  he  wanted  to  keep  on  talking  to  her  forever, 
but  she  remembered  that  Yezibaba  was  waiting  for  her 
and  she  hurried  away. 

The  next  morning  when  Raduz  presented  a  basket 
of  ripe  grapes,  old  Yezibaba  could  scarcely  believe  her 
eyes.  She  sniffed  the  grapes  suspiciously  and  then  very 
grudgingly  acknowledged  that  he  had  accomplished  his 
second  task. 

"  What  am  I  to  do  today? "  Raduz  asked. 

Yezibaba  led  him  to  a  third  window  and  told  him 
to  look  out  and  tell  her  what  he  saw. 

"  I  see  a  great  rocky  cliff." 

"  Right,"  she  said.  "  Go  now  to  that  cliff  and  grind 
me  flour  out  of  the  rocks  and  from  the  flour  bake  me 
bread.  Tomorrow  morning  bring  me  the  fresh  loaves. 
Today  you  shall  have  no  tools  of  any  kind.  Go  now 
and  do  this  task  or  suffer  the  consequences." 


THE  GOLDEN  DUCK  227 

As  Raduz  started  off,  Yezibaba  looked  after  him 
and  shook  her  head  suspiciously. 

"  I  don't  understand  this,"  she  said  to  her  husband. 
"  He  could  never  have  done  these  two  tasks  alone.  Do 
you  suppose  Ludmila  has  been  helping  him?  I'll 
punish  her  if  she  has!  " 

"  Shame  on  you,"  the  old  man  said,  "  to  talk  so  of 
your  own  daughter!  Ludmila  is  a  good  girl  and  has 
always  been  loyal  and  obedient." 

"  I  hope  so,"  Yezibaba  said,  "  but  just  the  same  I 
think  I  myself  will  carry  him  out  his  dinner  today." 

"  Nonsense,  old  woman!  You'll  do  no  such  thing! 
You're  always  smelling  a  rat  somewhere!  Let  the  boy 
alone  and  don't  go  nagging  at  Ludmila  either! " 

So  Yezibaba  said  no  more.  This  time  she  cooked 
a  mess  of  lizards  for  Raduz'  dinner. 

"  Here,  Ludmila,"  she  said,  "  carry  this  out  to  the 
young  man.  But  see  that  you  don't  talk  to  him.  And 
hurry  back." 

Poor  Raduz  had  been  pounding  stones  one  on  an- 
other as  well  as  he  could,  but  he  hadn't  been  able  to 
grind  any  of  them  into  flour.  As  noonday  approached 
he  kept  looking  up  anxiously  to  see  whether  beautiful 
Ludmila  was  again  coming  to  help  him. 

"  Here  I  am,"  she  called  while  she  was  yet  some 


228  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

distance  away.  "  You  were  to  have  lizard  stew  today 
but,  see,  I  am  bringing  you  my  own  dinner! " 

Then  she  told  him  what  she  had  heard  Yezibaba 
say  to  her  father. 

"  Today  she  almost  brought  you  your  dinner  her- 
self, for  she  suspects  that  I  have  been  helping  you. 
If  she  knew  that  I  really  had  she  would  kill  you." 

"  Dear  Ludmila,"  Raduz  said,  "  I  know  very  well 
that  without  you  I  am  lost!  How  can  I  ever  thank 
you  for  all  you  have  done  for  me? " 

Ludmila  said  she  didn't  want  thanks.  She  was 
helping  Raduz  because  she  was  sorry  for  him  and  loved 
him. 

Then  she  took  Yezibaba's  wand  and  struck  the 
rocky  cliff.  At  once,  instead  of  the  bare  rock,  there 
were  sacks  of  grain  and  a  millstone  that  worked  merrily 
away  grinding  out  fine  flour.  As  you  watched,  the  flour 
was  kneaded  up  into  loaves  and  then,  pop  went  the 
loaves  into  a  hot  oven  and  soon  the  air  was  sweet  with 
the  smell  of  baking  bread. 

Raduz  begged  Ludmila  to  stay  and  talk  to  him,  but 
she  remembered  that  the  old  witch  was  waiting  for  her 
and  she  hurried  home. 

The  next  morning  Raduz  carried  the  baked  loaves 
to  Yezibaba.  She  sniffed  at  them  suspiciously  and 


THE  GOLDEN  DUCK  229 

then  her  wicked  heart  nearly  cracked  with  bitterness 
to  think  that  Raduz  had  accomplished  his  third  task. 
But  she  hid  her  disappointment  and  pretending  to 
smile,  she  said: 

"  I  see,  my  dear  boy,  that  you  have  been  able  to  do 
all  the  tasks  that  I  have  set  you.  This  is  enough  for 
the  present.  Today  you  may  rest." 

That  night  the  old  witch  hatched  the  plot  of  boiling 
Raduz  alive.  She  had  him  fill  a  big  cauldron  with 
water  and  put  it  on  the  fire.  Then  she  said  to  her 
husband : 

"  Now,  old  man,  I'm  going  to  take  a  nap  but  when 
the  water  boils  wake  me  up." 

As  soon  as  Yezibaba  was  asleep  Ludmila  gave  the 
old  man  strong  wine  until  he,  too,  fell  asleep.  Then 
she  called  Raduz  and  told  him  what  Yezibaba  was 
planning  to  do. 

"  You  must  escape  while  you  can,"  she  said,  "  for  if 
you  are  here  tomorrow  you  will  surely  be  thrown  into 
the  boiling  cauldron." 

But  Raduz  had  fallen  too  deeply  in  love  with  Lud- 
mila to  leave  her  and  now  he  declared  that  he  would 
never  go  unless  she  went  with  him. 

"  Very  well,"  Ludmila  said,  "  I  will  go  with  you  if 
you  swear  you  will  never  forget  me." 


230  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

"  Forget  you?  How  could  I  forget  you,"  Raduz 
said,  "  when  I  wouldn't  give  you  up  for  the  whole 
world!" 

So  Raduz  took  a  solemn  oath  and  they  made  ready 
to  flee.  Ludmila  threw  down  her  kerchief  in  one  corner 
of  the  house  and  Raduz'  cap  in  another.  Then  she  took 
Yezibaba's  wand  and  off  they  started. 

The  next  morning  when  the  old  man  awoke,  he 
called  out:  "  Hi,  there,  boy!  Are  you  still  asleep? " 

"  No,  I'm  not  asleep,"  answered  Raduz'  cap.  "  I'm 
just  stretching." 

Presently  the  old  man  called  out  again:  "Here, 
boy,  hand  me  my  clothes." 

"  In  a  minute,"  the  cap  answered.  "  Just  wait  till 
I  put  on  my  slippers." 

Then  old  Yezibaba  awoke.  "  Ludmila!  "  she  cried. 
"  Get  up,  you  lazy  girl,  and  hand  me  my  skirt  and 
bodice." 

"  In  a  minute !  In  a  minute ! "  the  kerchief 
answered. 

"What's  the  matter?"  Yezibaba  scolded.  "Why 
are  you  so  long  dressing?  " 

"  Just  one  more  minute!  "  the  kerchief  said. 

But  Yezibaba,  who  was  an  impatient  old  witch,  sat 
up  in  bed  and  then  she  could  see  that  Ludmila's  bed 


THE  GOLDEN  DUCK  231 

was  empty.  That  threw  her  into  a  fine  rage  and  she 
called  out  to  her  husband : 

"  Now,  old  man,  what  have  you  got  to  say?  As 
sure  as  I'm  alive  that  good-for-nothing  boy  is  gone  and 
that  precious  daughter  of  yours  has  gone  with  him ! " 

"  No,  no,"  the  old  man  said.     "  I  don't  think  so." 

Then  they  both  got  up  and  sure  enough  neither 
Raduz  nor  Ludmila  was  to  be  found. 

"What  do  you  think  now,  you  old  booby! "  Yezi- 
baba  shouted.  "  A  mighty  good  and  loyal  and  obedient 
girl  that  daughter  of  yours  is !  But  why  do  you  stand 
there  all  day?  Mount  the  black  steed  and  fly  after 
them  and  when  you  overtake  them  bring  them  back 
to  me  and  I'll  punish  them  properly! " 

In  the  meantime  Raduz  and  Ludmila  were  fleeing 
as  fast  as  they  could. 

Suddenly  Ludmila  said :  "  Oh,  how  my  left  cheek 
burns!  I  wonder  what  it  means?  Look  back,  dear 
Raduz,  and  see  if  there  is  any  one  following  us." 

Raduz  turned  and  looked.  "  There's  nothing  fol- 
lowing us,"  he  said,  "  but  a  black  cloud  in  the  sky." 

"  A  black  cloud?  That's  the  old  man  on  the  black 
horse  that  rides  on  the  clouds.  Quick!  We  must  be 
ready  for  him! " 

Ludmila  struck  the  ground  with  Yezibaba's  wand 


232  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

and  changed  it  into  a  field.  She  turned  herself  into  the 
growing  rye  and  made  Raduz  the  reaper  who  was  cut- 
ting the  rye.  Then  she  instructed  him  how  to  answer 
the  old  man  with  cunning. 

The  black  cloud  descended  upon  them  with  thunder 
and  a  shower  of  hailstones  that  beat  down  the  growing 
rye. 

"Take  care!"  Raduz  cried.  "You're  trampling 
my  rye!  Leave  some  of  it  for  me." 

"  Very  well,"  the  old  man  said,  alighting  from  his 
steed,  "  I'll  leave  some  of  it  for  you.  But  tell  me, 
reaper,  have  you  seen  anything  of  two  young  people 
passing  this  way? " 

"  Not  a  soul  has  passed  while  I've  been  reaping,  but 
I  do  remember  that  while  I  was  planting  this  field  two 
such  people  did  pass." 

The  old  man  shook  his  head,  mounted  his  steed,  and 
flew  home  again  on  the  black  cloud. 

"  Well,  old  wiseacre,"  said  Yezibaba,  "  what  brings 
you  back  so  soon?  " 

"  No  use  my  going  on,"  the  old  man  said.  "  The 
only  person  I  saw  was  a  reaper  in  a  field  of  rye." 

"  You  booby !  "  cried  Yezibaba,  "  not  to  know  that 
Raduz  was  the  reaper  and  Ludmila  the  rye !  How  they 
fooled  you!  And  didn't  you  bring  me  back  just  one 


THE  GOLDEN  DUCK  233 

stalk  of  rye?  Go  after  them  again  and  this  time  don't 
let  them  fool  you!" 

In  the  meantime  Raduz  and  Ludmila  were  hurry- 
ing on.  Suddenly  Ludmila  said: 

"  I  wonder  why  my  left  cheek  burns?  Look  back, 
dear  Raduz,  and  see  if  there  is  any  one  following  us." 

Raduz  turned  and  looked.  "  There's  nothing  fol- 
lowing us  but  a  gray  cloud  in  the  sky." 

"A  gray  cloud?  That's  the  old  man  on  the  gray 
horse  that  rides  on  the  clouds.  But  don't  be  afraid. 
'Only  have  ready  a  cunning  answer." 

Ludmila  struck  her  hat  with  the  wand  and  changed 
it  into  a  chapel.  Herself  she  changed  into  a  fly  that 
attracted  a  host  of  other  flies.  She  changed  Raduz  into 
a  hermit.  All  the  flies  flew  into  the  chapel  and  Raduz 
began  preaching  to  them. 

Suddenly  the  gray  cloud  descended  on  the  chapel 
with  a  flurry  of  snow  and  such  cold  that  the  shingles 
of  the  roof  crackled. 

The  old  man  alighted  from  the  gray  steed  and  en- 
tered the  chapel. 

"  Hermit,"  he  said  to  Raduz,  "  have  you  seen  two 
travelers  go  by  here,  a  girl  and  a  youth?  " 

"  As  long  as  I've  been  preaching  here,"  Raduz  said, 
"  I've  had  only  flies  for  a  congregation.  But  I  do 


234  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

remember  that  while  the  chapel  was  building  two  such 
people  did  go  by.  But  now  I  must  beg  you,  good  sir, 
to  go  out,  for  you  are  letting  in  so  much  cold  that  my 
congregation  is  freezing." 

At  that  the  old  man  mounted  his  steed  and  flew 
back  home  on  the  gray  cloud. 

Old  Yezibaba  was  waiting  for  him.  When  she  saw 
him  coming  she  called  out: 

"Again  you  bring  no  one,  you  good-for-nothing! 
Where  did  you  leave  them  this  time?" 

"Where  did  I  leave  them?"  the  old  man  said. 
"  How  could  I  leave  them  when  I  didn't  even  see  them? 
All  I  saw  was  a  little  chapel  and  a  hermit  preaching  to 
a  congregation  of  flies.  I  almost  froze  the  congregation 
to  death!" 

"Oh,  what  a  booby  you  are!"  Yezibaba  cried. 
"  Raduz  was  the  hermit  and  Ludmila  one  of  the  flies! 
Why  didn't  you  bring  me  just  one  shingle  from  the 
roof  of  the  chapel?  I  see  I'll  have  to  go  after  them 
myself!" 

In  a  rage  she  mounted  the  third  magic  steed  and 
flew  off. 

In  the  meantime  Raduz  and  Ludmila  were  hurrying 
on.  Suddenly  Ludmila  said: 

"I  wonder  why  my  left  cheek  burns?    Look  back, 


THE  GOLDEN  DUCK  235 

dear  Raduz,  again,  and  see  if  there  is  any  one  follow- 
ing us." 

Raduz  turned  and  looked.  "  There's  nothing  fol- 
lowing us  but  a  red  cloud  in  the  sky." 

"  A  red  cloud?  That  must  be  Yezibaba  herself  on 
the  steed  of  fire.  Now  indeed  we  must  be  careful.  Up 
to  this  it  has  been  easy  enough  but  it  won't  be  easy  to 
deceive  her.  Here  we  are  beside  a  lake.  I  will  change 
myself  into  a  golden  duck  and  float  on  the  water.  Do 
you  dive  into  the  water  so  that  she  can't  burn  you. 
When  she  alights  and  tries  to  catch  me,  do  you  jump 
up  and  get  the  horse  by  the  bridle.  Don't  be  afraid 
at  what  will  happen." 

The  fiery  cloud  descended,  burning  up  everything  it 
touched.  At  the  edge  of  the  water  Yezibaba  alighted 
from  her  steed  and  tried  to  catch  the  golden  duck. 
The  duck  fluttered  on  and  on  just  out  of  her  reach 
and  Yezibaba  went  farther  and  farther  from  her  horse. 

Then  Raduz  leaped  out  of  the  water  and  caught  the 
horse  by  its  bridle.  At  once  the  duck  rose  on  its  wings 
and  flew  to  Raduz  and  became  again  Ludmila.  To- 
gether they  mounted  the  fiery  steed  and  flew  off  over 
the  lake. 

Yezibaba,  helpless  with  rage  and  dismay,  called 
after  them  a  bitter  curse: 


236  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

"  If  you,  Raduz,  are  kissed  by  woman  before  you 
wed  Ludmila,  then  will  you  forget  Ludmila!  And  you, 
ungrateful  girl,  if  once  Raduz  forgets  you  then  he  shall 
not  remember  you  again  until  seven  long  years  have 
come  and  gone!'* 

Raduz  and  Ludmila  rode  on  and  on  until  they 
neared  Raduz'  native  city.  There  they  met  a  man  of 
whom  Raduz  asked  the  news. 

"  News  indeed!  "  the  man  said.  "  The  king  and  his 
three  older  sons  are  dead.  Only  the  queen  is  alive  and 
she  cries  night  and  day  for  her  youngest  son  who  went 
out  into  the  world  and  has  never  been  heard  of  since. 
The  whole  city  is  in  an  uproar  as  to  who  shall  be  the 
new  king." 

When  Raduz  heard  this  he  said  to  Ludmila:  "Do 
you,  my  dear  Ludmila,  wait  for  me  here  outside  the 
city  while  I  go  quickly  to  the  palace  and  let  it  be 
known  that  I  am  alive  and  am  returned.  It  would  not 
be  fitting  to  present  you  to  my  mother,  the  queen, 
in  those  ragged  clothes.  As  soon  as  I  am  made  king 
I  shall  come  for  you,  bringing  you  a  beautiful  dress." 

Ludmila  agreed  to  this  and  Raduz  left  her  and 
hurried  to  the  castle.  His  mother  recognized  him  at 
once  and  ran  with  open  arms  to  greet  him.  She  wanted 
to  kiss  him  but  he  wouldn't  let  her.  The  news  of  his 


THE  GOLDEN  DUCK  237 

return  flew  abroad  and  he  was  immediately  proclaimed 
king.  A  great  feast  was  spread  and  all  the  people 
ate  and  drank  and  made  merry. 

Fatigued  with  his  journey  and  with  the  excitement 
of  his  return,  Raduz  lay  down  to  rest.  While  he  slept 
his  mother  came  in  and  kissed  him  on  both  cheeks. 
Instantly  Yezibaba's  curse  was  fulfilled  and  all  mem- 
ory of  Ludmila  left  him. 

Poor  Ludmila  waited  for  his  return  but  he  never 
came.  Then  she  knew  what  must  have  happened. 
Heartbroken  and  lonely  she  found  a  spot  near  a  farm- 
house that  commanded  a  view  of  the  castle,  and  she 
stood  there  day  after  day  hoping  to  see  Raduz.  She 
stood  there  so  long  that  finally  she  took  root  and  grew 
up  into  a  poplar  tree  that  was  so  beautiful  that  soon 
throughout  the  countryside  people  began  talking  about 
it.  Every  one  admired  it  but  the  young  king.  He 
when  he  looked  at  it  always  felt  unhappy  and  he  sup- 
posed this  was  because  it  obstructed  the  view  from  his 
window.  At  last  he  ordered  it  to  be  cut  down. 

The  farmer  near  whose  house  it  stood  begged  hard 
to  have  it  saved,  but  the  king  was  firm. 

Shortly  after  the  poplar  was  cut  down  there  grew 
up  under  the  king's  very  window  a  pretty  little  pear 
tree  that  bore  golden  pears.  It  was  a  wonderful  little 


238  CZECHOSLOVAK  FAIRY  TALES 

tree.  No  matter  how  many  pears  you  picked  in  the 
evening,  by  the  next  morning  the  tree  would  again  be 
full. 

The  king  loved  the  little  tree  and  was  forever  talk- 
ing about  it.  The  old  queen,  on  the  other  hand,  dis- 
liked it. 

"  I  wish  that  tree  would  die,"  she  used  to  say. 
"  There's  something  strange  about  it  that  makes  me 
nervous." 

The  king  begged  her  to  leave  the  tree  alone  but  she 
worried  and  complained  and  nagged  until  at  last  for 
his  own  peace  of  mind  he  had  the  poor  little  pear  tree 
cut  down. 

The  seven  years  of  Yezibaba's  curse  at  last  ran  out. 
Then  Ludmila  changed  herself  again  into  a  little  golden 
duck  and  went  swimming  about  on  the  lake  that  was 
under  the  king's  window. 

Suddenly  the  king  began  to  remember  that  he  had 
seen  that  duck  before.  He  ordered  it  to  be  caught 
and  brought  to  him.  But  none  of  his  people  could 
catch  it.  Then  he  called  together  all  the  fishermen  and 
birdcatchers  in  the  country  but  none  of  them  could 
catch  the  strange  duck. 

The  days  went  by  and  the  king's  mind  was  more 
and  more  engrossed  with  the  thought  of  the  golden 


THE  GOLDEN  DUCK  239 

duck.  "  If  no  one  can  catch  it  for  me,"  he  said  at 
last,  "  I  must  try  to  catch  it  myself." 

So  he  went  to  the  lake  and  reached  out  his  hand 
after  the  golden  duck.-  The  duck  led  him  on  and  on 
but  at  last  she  allowed  herself  to  be  caught.  As  soon 
as  she  was  in  his  hand  she  changed  to  herself  and 
Raduz  recognized  her  as  his  own  beautiful  Ludmila. 

She  said  to  him :  "  I  have  been  true  to  you  but  you 
have  forgotten  me  all  these  years.  Yet  I  forgive  you, 
for  it  was  not  your  fault." 

In  Raduz'  heart  his  old  love  returned  a  hundred- 
fold and  he  was  overjoyed  to  lead  Ludmila  to  the 
castle.  He  presented  her  to  his  mother  and  said: 

"  This  is  she  who  saved  my  life  many  times.  She 
and  no  one  else  will  be  my  wife." 

A  great  wedding  feast  was  prepared  and  so  at  last 
Raduz  married  the  faithful  Ludmila. 


THE  STORY  THAT  NEVER  ENDS 


THE  STORY  THAT  NEVER  ENDS 

(To  be  told  very  seriously) 

ONCE  upon  a  time  there  was  a  shepherd  who  had 
a  great  flock  of  sheep.  He  used  to  pasture  them 
in  a  meadow  on  the  other  side  of  a  brook.  One  day 
the  sun  had  already  set  before  he  started  home. 
Recent  rains  had  swollen  the  brook  so  that  he  and  the 
sheep  had  to  cross  on  a  little  footbridge.  The  bridge 
was  so  narrow  that  the  sheep  had  to  pass  over  one 
by  one. 

Now  we'll  wait  until  he  drives  them  all  over.  Then 
I'll  go  on  with  my  story. 

(When  the  children  grow  impatient  and  beg  for  a 
continuation  of  the  story,  they  are  told  that  there  are 
many  sheep  and  that  up  to  this  time  only  a  few  have 
crossed.  A  little  later  when  their  impatience  again 
breaks  out,  they  are  told  that  the  sheep  are  still  cross- 
ing. And  so  on  indefinitely.  In  conclusion:) 

In  fact  there  were  so  many  sheep  that  when  morn- 
ing came  they  were  still  crossing,  and  then  it  was  time 
for  the  shepherd  to  turn  around  and  drive  them  back 
again  to  pasture! 

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